The Official Spokesperson in the Indian External Affairs Ministry, Syed Akbaruddin confirmed that the ministry had summoned Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner on Tuesday in connection with the suspension of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot-Poonch bus services by Pakistan.

On Monday, the weekly bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad was suspended after Pakistani authorities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) did not allow its operation and demanded the release of a Pakistani driver.

The three-day trade usually takes place from Tuesday to Friday.

The passenger bus service was started in April 2005 while the trade began in October 2008.

Tension mounted in North Kashmir when police on Friday detained a truck carrying 114 packets of brown sugar, valued at Rs 100 crore in international market, and arrested the driver along with two more people who were to receive the consignment.

Authorities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir detained 27 Indian truck drivers and demanded release of their driver.

Akabaruddin said that Indian diplomats were working towards resolving the matter through diplomatic channel.

The cross-LoC trade remained suspended for the second day in the Kashmir valley on Tuesday as the stalemate continued over the arrest of a Pakistani driver by Indian authorities in connection with the smuggling of brown sugar last week.

No vehicle carrying goods passed the 'Aman Sethu', the bridge dividing the two parts of Kashmir, in Uri sector of north Kashmir, official sources said on Tuesday.

But the recent arrest of a Pakistani driver after the recovery of 114 packets of brown sugar weighing 100 kg from his truck led to the suspension of the trade and travel.

The PoK authorities have detained 27 trucks and drivers of these vehicles at Chakoti across the LoC since Friday following recovery of the drugs on this side.

While one driver has been arrested, 48 other drivers from PoK are also stranded at Salamabad Trade facilitation Centre since the stand-off began.