Srinagar, Apr 19 (KNS): Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti today termed the LoC cross trade ban a major setback to the Indo-Pak relations.

Terming it an “ironical and unfortunate” Mehbooba said Vajpayee had visited Kashmir on the same day when he was the Prime Minister and extended the hand of friendship with Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue under the ambit of Insaniyat (humanity).

“Whatever Vajpayee has done Modi wants to demolish that. All the steps taken by Vajpayee Ji, whether it is cross LoC trade, cross LoC bus service, opening of other major routes and the related CBMs. It seems the NDA government is hell-bent to demolish all those CBMs,” she said while talking to reporters, as per Kashmir News Service (KNS) correspondent.

Mehbooba, who is very vocal against the policies of Modi led government, said these are the worst times for the country and those candidates are being fielded to contest elections who talk only negative to destabilize communal harmony, incite violence and destroy good relations with the neighboring country.

Earlier on Thursday, Ministry of Home Affairs, department of Jammu and Kashmir Affairs suspended the cross LoC trade at Salamabad and Chakan-da-Bagh.

“Government of India has been receiving reports that Cross LoC trade routes in Jammu and Kashmir are being misused by Pakistan based elements. This misuse involves illegal inflows of weapons, narcotics and currency,” an order copy reads.

“The cross LoC trade mechanism is therefore being suspended pending the putting into place of a stricter regulatory regime. This is to ensure that only bonafide trade takes place, for the benefit of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, through the mechanism,” the order added. (KNS)