Pak Army pounds Trade Facilitation Centre to destroy Indo-Pak ties?

Indian Army giving a befitting reply

[dropcap color=”#008040″ boxed=”yes” boxed_radius=”8px” class=”” id=””]T[/dropcap]he Cross Line of Control (LoC) trade between India and Pakistan, started after a gap of 61 long years in October 2008 via Poonch – Rawalakote trade route, was suspended on Monday after Pak army pounded Trade facilitation centre with long range mortar shells and destroyed large portions of it in an intense exchange of heavy calibre fire in frontier Poonch district.

Hundreds of villagers were forced to stay put inside their temporary houses as they were left stranded due to exchange of heavy fire from both the sides.

This is for the first time that the trade centre was made a target by the roaring Pak guns. The bus service was suspended on several occasions due to border skirmishes and bad weather conditions but the trade centre remained unaffected during all these years especially at the peak of hostilities even in 2016.

But on Monday at least three 120 mm mortar shells landed in the premises of the Trade facilitation centre and destroyed the rooftop of the administrative block while puncturing holes in the boundary walls and other places.

Several forward villages falling in the direct line of fire too faced brunt of the Pak shelling as several houses were hit directly and fodder stocked for the livestock caught fire.

Hundreds of villagers were forced to stay put inside their temporary houses as they were left stranded due to exchange of heavy fire from both the sides.

Only recently authorities in the Trade facilitation centre had seized weapons being ferried in the goods truck from across the LoC.

Following heavy exchange of firing in the forward area the entire staff of the centre had to be evacuated to safety in the absence of any concrete structures to prevent any further loss of life and property.

The district authorities in Poonch also suspended Carvan-e-Aman peace bus service and exchange of goods on the route after reviewing the security situation along the line of control.

Residents from both sides of the line of control embark on the peace bus service to meet their loves ones separated at the time of the partition.

The resumption of trade ties via this cross LoC trade route was touted as one of the biggest confidence building measures announced by the two nuclear in the South Asia region. The aim was to normalise trade ties through the traditional trade route.

According to security experts by targeting the Trade facilitation centre the Pak army is hinting at escalating the tensions in the coming days and provoke a strong Indian response.

Now it remains to be seen whether the Indian army gives a befitting reply by training its guns towards notorious Pak army posts targeting the trade centre or the Narendra Modi led BJP govt would mount pressure on the beleaguered neighbour to fall in line and behave responsibly than face the heat.