Qazi Ahmad, a civilian from Kamalkot, a nearby village in Uri, was sitting enjoying a cup of tea in the newly opened cafeteria near Kaman Aman Setu. It is the last post of the Indian army in the Uri sector of the LoC in Kashmir.
Such a scenario could not even have been imagined a few months ago, when the entire sector was tense and grenades and mortars were exchanged between India and Pakistan.
Today the Indian Army opened a full cafeteria in this front position. The army wants to give visitors the opportunity to find out how things are on the ground.
This comes at a time when India-Pakistan relations appear to be moving towards peace, especially after the ceasefire agreement recently announced by two armies in February this year.
“We have opened the café for all visitors to the Kaman Post as a motivation for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. After taking a selfie on the bridge, people can come here and have snacks and take home several souvenirs, “said Vishal Dev, Major in the Indian Army.
A look into the newly opened, army-run café
The local people in the area are cheerful and see this as another indicator of peace building they have always longed for.
“After the division of two countries, people who were related and friends were distanced. They were divided and always wanted peace to be so that they could see each other. It is possible with peace. This cafeteria seems like a good start to better things. We are grateful that we opened this cafeteria, ”said Qazi Ahmad, a local.
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The Kaman Aman Setu Post served as a transit point for cross-LoC trade and travel between J&K and Pakistani-occupied Kashmir. However, the route has been closed since 2019.
Several traders associated with trading suffered as it had a direct impact on their livelihoods.
It is estimated that nearly 2,500 trader families were directly linked to cross-LoC trading, and many others were indirectly linked to J&K. Given the signs of relationship building between India and Pakistan, locals are confident that it would also spell resumption of trade and travel between LoC countries.
“It is good when there is peace and trade should also open up. Many people were affected after its closure. This will be good news not only for the people of Uri, but also for the people of all of Kashmir, “says Faisal Ejaz, a resident of Uri.
On April 7, 2005, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh marked the first cross LoC bus entitled “Karwaan-e-Aman” from the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar towards Muzaffarabad.
The cafe is located near Kaman Aman Setu in Northern Kashmir’s Uri.
Later, in 2008, the trade routes were opened as part of the confidence-building measures between the two sides. The routes between Uri-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakot have been identified and established for the purpose of cross-LoC trading.
Relations between India and Pakistan have seen ups and downs, but this cross-LoC trade survived its effects until 2019.
The Ministry of the Interior (MHA) announced the end of cross-LoC trade in Jammu and Kashmir in April 2019. The reasons given for this big decision were “funnels of illegal weapons, narcotics and counterfeit currencies”.
Later in August this year, the Indian government took another major step to lift the special status and split the former state of J&K into two union territories.
The relationship between India and Pakistan after this decision was one of the lowest in many years. Ceasefire violations and violence within the control line increased and tensions raged. There seems to have been a break this year. And with such attempts, the hopes for lasting peace of these border residents have also increased.
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