Kargil: Hailing the historic decision to open Kartarpur-Dera Baba Nanak Sahab corridor in Punjab, senior Congress leader and former legislator Kargil, Haji Asgar Ali Karbalaie Monday reiterated his demand for opening of Kargil-Skardu road which according to him will not only connect divided families but also restore economic activity in the region which remains cut off for most part of the year.
Recalling long pending demand of his people, Karbalaie urged the governments in Delhi and Islamabad to open Kargil-Skardu road on priority.
Seeking immediate steps towards opening of thousand-years-old historic route, Karbalaie said, There are more than 5,000 divided families in Kargil and Skardu who have not met for last seven decades. Kargil leader said people of his region are deprived of a chance to meet on the pattern of International borders and Line of Control. “Depriving people of a right to meet each other gives an impression that both the countries do not trust the people of the dived region. Now time has come that the government must raise this issue with its counterpart on the other side to open this route on humanitarian grounds”, Karbalaie said.
Karbalai said though Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote routes have already been opened but despite no such security threat, Kargil-Skardu route remains shut.
“Opening of the Cross-LOC routes could initiate a process of trade in the region and Jammu Kashmir could further reclaim its status of the ‘Gateway to Central Asia’, former MLA said.
It is pertinent to mention here that prior to independence, the regions of Kargil, Leh and Skardu constituted a single district called the Ladakh Wazarat. An all weather road from Skardu to Kargil was part of the ancient Silk Route. The 1949 ceasefire resulted in split of Ladakh Wazarat into Ladakh and Baltistan. Many families still trace their immediate ancestors on the other side of the border.
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