POONCH, Jul 1: Cross LoC traders in both parts of Jammu and Kashmir today formed a joint federation with the assistance of the Conciliation Resources (UK) in collaboration with its regional advisers and partner organisations – Indus Research Foundation, Jammu and Centre for Peace, Development and Reforms, Mirpur.
According to a press note released by Conciliation Resources, the joint federation of cross-LoC traders, which will be a constituent part of the Joint Chamber, initially comprised 60 members -15 each from all trading points on both sides of the Line of Control. The Federation is open for expansion and more members shall be added when the traders have the opportunity of meeting on the Zero Line as per the agreed Standard Operating Procedures.
The formation of the Federation of Cross-LoC traders is a follow up to the Istanbul agreement of November 2011 on formation of joint chamber. It was agreed in the Istanbul agreement, facilitated by the Conciliation Resources, that there would be a Federation of Cross-LoC traders to become a constituent part of the joint chamber.
“Though Joint Chamber got interim representation from the Cross-LoC traders drawn from all four trading points on both sides of Line of Control totaling eight members, but coming up of traders from all points as a single organization was a challenge in terms of time and logistical. With support of local leaders of the traders under coordination of Pawan Anand, the IRF and CPDR led the process to get the nominations to the Federation through consultations as elections were not possible for lack of travel access across the Line of Control,” stated the release issued by Conciliation Resources.
According to the release, the consultative process of forming the Federation of Cross-LoC Traders was led by Zafar Choudhary in Poonch and Salamabad and Ershad Mamud in Rawalakote and Muzaffarabad, on behalf of Conciliation Resources.
The representatives from LoC Crossing Point Tetrinote in the joint federation included Sardar Kazim, Akhtar Hussain Shah, Mohammad Sarfaraz, Wahid Anwar, Sahil Taufeeq Abbas Kazmi, Mohammad Sarwar Khan, Hameed Raza Hashmi, Mohammad Waqar Khan, Choudhary Abdul Latief, Mehmood Ahmed Dar, Zardar Abbasi, Choudhary Mohammad Akbar, Qari Ashiq Hussain, Assad Hanif, Masood Hussain, Sardar Saghir Khan.
The traders, who will be part of the joint federation from LoC Crossing Point Chakkan Da Bagh included Pawan Anand, Rajiv Tandon, Sardar Kishen Singh, Mohammad Sayeed, Haji Munshi, Mohammad Asim, Kaveen Dutta, Sehdev Singh Chib, Sheraz Ahmed Khan, Rajinder Vaid, Mohinder Singh, Mohammad Shafi, Munshi Khan, Mohammad Amin Magrey and Kabir Din. From LoC Crossing Point Chakoti, Pervez Ahmed Shah, Nazir Ahmed Bhatt, Khurshid Akram Mir, Raja Hussain Shaheen, Ajaz Ahmed Shah, Reyaz Ahmed Dar, Hilal Ahmed Peerzada, Javed Iqbal Bhatt, Ajaz Ahmed Mir, Mohammad Nayeem Abbasi, iddress Ghani Dar, Basharat Rehman Shah, Mubarak Awan, Mahmood Akhtar Khokar and Rashid Mir will represent joint federation.
The traders representing joint federation from LoC Crossing Point Salamabad included Mohammad Tariq Khan, Hilal Ahmed Khan Turkie, Raja Zahoor Khan, Khurshid Ahmed Dar, Farooq Ahmed Baga, Manzoor Ahmed Khan, Tariq Ahmed Lone, Mohammad Sayed Khan, Tariq Ahmed Sheikh, Rashid Ali Zargar, Sardar Gurvinder Singh, Arshad Peer, Ashwani Rekhi, Asif Lone and Tajjamul Masoodi. |