The trans Line of Control (LoC) trade between India and Pakistan through Chakan-Da-Bagh in Poonch and Salamabad in Baramulla has been in the lime light for the wrong reasons. The trade route has been notoriously famous. Some years back the Poonch point of trade was in the centre of a controversy when a truck coming from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) laden with crores worth of narcotics was seized by Indian agencies. It led Pakistan agencies to detain 27 Indian trucks carrying goods to PoK for the release of Pakistani truck. It was then security agencies became cautious of Narco fund being used for militancy in Kashmir Valley. Now the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has come across evidence of another-trade-product money being routed for terror machinery. In this case it is the famous Californian ‘Badam-Giri’ which is in the centre of the controversy. The crack agency is probing a link between possible terror funding through this barter trade with Pakistan. It is suspected that the earning from selling of Californian almonds, locally known as ‘Badam Giri’, is used for terror funding. NIA has collected voluminous trade-related documents which had to be brought to its offices in a plane. The investigating officials suspect illegal movement of hundred of crores of rupees and misuse of the money for terror activities. There is a clear case of over-invoicing in which almonds are brought in at a price of Rs 600-650 per kg as against Rs 250-300 per kg. Over invoicing is created to have margins larger than the reality and here it is suspected to have been exploited by terrorists. According to the cross-LoC trade agreement between India and Pakistan, products grown in both sides of Kashmir will be exchanged under barter system. The products included ‘Badam Giri’ that is grown in parts of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). As many as 21 items are listed for trading between both the countries. The NIA had earlier said in a statement that reliable information was received that a large scale transfer of funds from Pakistan to India has been taking place through the import of California almonds via the cross-LoC trade mechanism.
