The Hindu : Delhi-Lahore bus service enthuses Jammu families

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 28, 2003

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Delhi-Lahore bus service enthuses Jammu families

By Our Staff Reporter

Jammu May 27. Thousands of families living here have been enthused by the decision of the Central Government to resume Delhi-Lahore bus service. As the air travel via Dubai was expensive many poor families could not even return to their native countries.

A five-year-old girl, Farah, asks recurrent questions when she would see her father as she has been separated from him for more than a year.

She does not know about how the border separates the two countries and why it cannot be crossed.

Andleep Kosour, her mother, said, "the resumption of bus service is a great relief for us as we cannot afford the expensive air route via Dubai."

While there are countless adults who have been separated from their kith and kin 50 years ago and they have reconciled to their separation.

This child was separated from her father when she had come to her maternal place more than a year back. But immediately border situation became tensed and the travel between the two countries ceased. Ms. Kousar used to be a frequent visitor to India on Indian passport that she had not give up so far after marriage. But since her child was born in Pakistan, the girl became a Pakistani citizen.

Similar is the longing of the father, Mohd Yosuf, waiting on the other side to see his wife and daughter.

Ms. Kousar said, "My daughter cries out at night and asks about her father. I do not have words to explain the situation to a child of such tender age." If any body thinks that only Muslim families suffer the pangs of separation let him or her revise their opinion.

About 3,000 Hindu families, who had migrated to this part from Pakistan, have also been enthused by the decision to resume the bus service.

There are still few enclaves of Hindus families residing in Sialkot district in Budi Bazaar, Chowk Shaheeda, Ilama Iqbal Chowk, Model town and Aakoki.

Even for these families, the urge for seeing their separated relatives continues to simmer in their hearts.

Bachal Lal, a community leader, said, "In order to provide relief to the divided families in the State, a bus service should be started on the Suchetgarh-Sialkot road."

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