“J&K should be the conduit for Indo-Pak trade”-Interview with Tariq Hameed Qarra-Minister of Finance, J&K

“J&K should be the conduit for Indo-Pak trade”
Interview with Tariq Hameed Qarra
Minister of Finance, J&K

D. Suba Chandran

What are the major issues in cross-LoC interactions?
There are four major issues related to cross-LoC interactions today. These include measures to simplify procedures of travel to cross the LoC, increase the movement of traffic in goods, expand the people to people contact and finally, to open new routes.

Why is the delay in addressing these issues?
It is a zig-zag process. There cannot be a miracle in one day or a month. The process is long and takes time. Internal security situation in Pakistan has certainly slowed down this process. The Union government should not get deterred by this internal situation inside Pakistan.

On the positive side, however, there is a political will, on both sides to take this process further. There has also been a change of heart amongst all the actors. Major political parties today are in agreement with this process. Though slowly, the mindsets are changing everywhere. It is a long process.

What measures need to be done to expand the people-to-people contacts across the LoC?
To begin with group tourism could be encouraged. The present interaction is limited only to the divided families. This needs to be enlarged. Universities in both sides could be encouraged to be centers of exchange. There could be short courses for students across. There could even be reservations for students from the other side. Cultural and professional exchanges should be the next obvious step in this process.

There could be a joint consultative group, which could address natural calamities. Such a group could act as a disaster management group. For example, if there occurs any calamity such as the Bird Flu in either side of the LoC, the other side will also be affected. Such a group could address these issues.

What needs to be done to facilitate the cross-LoC travel further?
Ever since Uri-Muzaffarabad road has been opened, there is substantial movement across the LoC. But this movement is limited only to the divided families. There is a need to broaden this movement. People in general, in J&K should be allowed to cross the LoC.

People who want to visit religious places also should be allowed. There are security issues, however to begin with group tourism could be allowed. Also people who are in need of medical facilities could be allowed to cross the LoC. Today Srinagar has the State-of-art medical facilities.

Procedure to cross across the LoC need to be simplified further. The present process is long and cumbersome. The Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) could be considered as the basic document required to across. Besides, the process now takes a long time; this should be simplified and processed in two months.

For traders, entry and exit could be made multiple and the permission could be granted at least for a year. There should also be provisions to get special permission on a priority basis in cases of emergency.

There should be more centers to process the applications. Districts like Poonch, Rajouri, Jammu, Anantnag, Srinagar and Baramulla should have centers of processing.

What major measures need to be done on the issue of cross-LoC trade?
To start with, a joint consultative mechanism including officials and representatives of trade and comers from both sides of Kashmir should be formed. This consultative body could then exchange a list of items that could be exported and imported.

It is important the goods are loaded from one point and unloaded directly in the other point in the mandis. There is certain security issues involved in the beginning. In that case, common depots could be developed, that would help transporting goods on a fast track. Checking should be expedited. Perhaps, for the first three years, customs duty could be expedited.

There is an urgent need to build the infrastructure. For example, the Aman Setu between Uri and Muzafarabad will not be able to handle any heavy movement of goods. Roads and bridges need to be built to address the movement of goods.

The ultimate objective should be in terms of establishing a free trade zone in J&K. This could be done in stages and modalities could be worked out. In short, J&K should become a conduit for Indo-Pak trade.