Divided families hope for easy travel 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Poonch, April 26
For 55-year-old Abdul Razzak Khan, a resident of Mendhar here, the announcement of the measures by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for easing travel across Line of Control (LoC) has come as blessing. Two years back Razzak applied for the permit to travel to Kotli in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) to meet his uncle Misri Khan, who got separated from them in 1965. He is yet to receive the permit.
However, the Prime Minister’s announcement of various measures to ease travel across the LoC has given a ray of hope to Razzak Khan, who wishes to meet his relative.
“I had applied for permit to travel to PoK about two years back, but till date I couldn’t get the permission”, said Razak Khan. “We welcome the statement of Manmohan Singh regarding the easing travel across the LoC and urge him to take up the issue with the Pakistan government in the earnest so that we can meet our family members who got separated from us”, he added.
The Prime Minister while addressing a public meeting in Akhnoor on Friday announced triple entry permits and completion of the verification process within six weeks.
The Prime Minister said he wanted to see the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch Rawlakote roads to be used for trade and travel like Attari-Wagah and Khokhrapar-Munnabao roads.
“A triple entry permit is being considered to facilitate this. Besides, it has been decided to dispose off applications within six weeks,” said the PM, adding that India wanted the bus service on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote to be weekly instead of fortnightly as at present.