Tuesday, May 27, 2003
Tuesday, May 27, 2003 |
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By Amit Baruah
Pakistani border security officials watch the last bus from New Delhi enter Pakistan at Wagah border on December 22, 2001. Later, India announced that it was stopping the bus and train services to Pakistan following the attack on its Parliament House on December 13.
"The Government of India has also decided to release 70 Pakistani fishermen and 60 civilian prisoners presently in Indian custody. They would be transferred as soon as Pakistan has indicated that it is ready to accept them," said an official release of the External Affairs Ministry. The surprise announcement came even as the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, is leaving for a three-nation foreign tour tomorrow. The release said the Prime Minister had emphasised the importance of people-to-people contacts for creating a conducive atmosphere in India-Pakistan relations. "Accordingly, the Government of India has today approved the resumption of the Delhi-Lahore bus service, on twice a week basis, as soon as details have been worked out by the technical authorities of the two countries," it added. The Delhi-Lahore bus service launched in February 1999 had none other than Mr. Vajpayee as its first passenger. It was the newest transport link between the two countries after the Samjhauta Express began service in 1976. All transport links were snapped by India after the December 13, 2001, attack on Parliament House. The Indian response on the bus service could break the logjam that has marked the resumption of contacts with Pakistan since there has been no forward movement on restoring the civil aviation links and on Islamabad naming a High Commissioner to India. It will also match a proposal made by the Pakistani Prime Minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, on May 6 referring to the bus and train services. "Since the majority of travellers between India and Pakistan use train and bus services, these will be resumed immediately on acceptance by India," he had said. India's statement today does not say anything on resumption of the Samjhauta service. Asked whether the Government had been in touch with the Pakistani authorities, official sources said it was entirely India's decision. Resumption of the civil aviation links have been held up in the absence of a technical level meeting between Indian and Pakistani officials. Perhaps, Pakistan wants a response for the bus/train proposals that it had made. For the thousands of divided families living in India and Pakistan, the latest statement on resumption of the bus service will be welcome. Many of these families who cannot afford air travel were using the train and bus options.
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