SIALKOT, Feb 28: Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Maj-Gen Sardar Muhammad Anwar Khan (retired) has said that though the launch of Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service is a good step for divided families on both sides of the LoC , the resolution of the Kashmir issue demanded more than that.
He was talking to journalists at the residence of federal parliamentary secretary for cabinet division Dr Fardous Ashiq Awan at Koobey Chak village late on Sunday night.
The AJK president said that there could be no sustainable peace in the region without an early solution to the Kashmir dispute as per the aspirations of the people of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He said, however, such confidence building measures between Pakistan and India could be a milestone towards resolution of the issues.
He vowed to continue the struggle for the freedom of Kashmir people from Indian yoke. Mr Khan said that the larger-scale human rights violations, genocide and custodial killings of innocent Kashmiris by the Indian Army was enough to shake the conscience of the World Community.
He urged the UNO to use it's influence for pressuring India to halt the 'state terrorism' in the held valley and for a durable solution to the dispute as per its resolutions. He said that the CBMs be directed towards Kashmir's freedom and the Kashmiri representatives should also be involved by the two countries.
SHORTAGE: Only 84 traffic police personnel are regulating the traffic in the entire Sialkot district with a population of over 3.3 million. According to the sources, the Sialkot traffic police have three inspectors, four sub-inspectors, 10 ASIs, 12 head constables and 55 constables. Despite being less in number in proportion to the population, most of them are performing the VIP duties in other districts of Punjab.
In the absence of traffic policemen on several roads, the traffic rules are being violated which sometime cause serious accidents. Besides, traffic jams have also become a routine matter in Sialkot, Sambrial, Uggoki, Daska, Pasrur and surrounding areas.
Traffic police officials in Sialkot confirmed that over 0.4 million vehicles of every kind were plying on main roads in the district. They said the government should check the practice of deputing Sialkot district's traffic policemen on VIP duties to other districts.
FREIGHT RATES: Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry Qaiser Shabbir has expressed concern over the recent increase in freight rates by the national and multinational shipping companies.
Talking to reporters here on Monday, the SCCI president said that shipping companies had increased the freight rates at the ratio of $600 on 40-feet container and $300 on 20-feet container.
He said the increase in the freight rates would be an additional burden on exporters. He demanded that the government should take some effective measures for the immediate withdrawal of increase in freight rates.
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