Members of divided families in Jammu and Kashmir, interested in meeting their quake-affected relatives in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, have been told to fill the requisite forms to facilitate their travel. On the eve of the opening of the second of the five designated points along the Line of Control for joint quake relief operations at Kaman-Chakoti point in Uri sector, authorities have asked families desirous of meeting their relatives to file their completed application forms at the regional passport office in Srinagar.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of all concerned agencies Monday evening, Regional Passport Officer S L Sriramlu said in Srinagar on Tuesday.
The Poonch-Rawalakot crossing point in Jammu region was opened Monday with only relief material allowed to be ferried across the Line of Control as the documents for the people willing to travel were not ready, officials had said. In the Kashmir valley, the Kaman-Chakoti point in Uri sector and Teetwal-Nauseri point in Tangdhar sector are scheduled to be opened Wednesday and Thursday respectively.
The other two points would be opened after clearing of impediments like landmines and subject to demand from local residents. India and Pakistan last month agreed to open five crossing points along the Line of Control to allow relief and members of the divided families to cross over in view of the devastating earthquake that struck the region leaving nearly 75,000 people dead on either side of the divide.