• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Pakistan-India-Bus service Pakistan, India launch second Kashmir bus service

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, June 20, IRNA

A new bus service linking Pakistani- and Indian-administered Kashmir was launched on Tuesday, the second such service in less than 15 months.

Named the Rawlakot-Poonch bus service, the bus service will run between the border town of Titrinote, in Pakistan's administered Rawlakot district, and Poonch area in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

In April last year the two sides saw the first official opening of the LoC since the late 1940s with the start of the fortnightly Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service that reunited families on both sides of the border.

Prime Minister of Pakistan-administered Kashmir Sardar Sikandar Hayat and Pakistan civil and military officers were present to see off the first passengers.

Titrinote and its adjoining areas had been under intense firing between Pakistani and Indian forces that killed and injured many people as well as destroyed buildings.

However, there has been no firing since a ceasefire was announced by both countries in November 2003.

Now soldiers on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) dividing the two countries in the disputed Kashmir region exchange smiles and gifts.

Passengers from both sides will cross the LoC on foot as buses will not be allowed to cross each other's side.

Some 55 passengers from the Pakistani side boarded the bus in Titrinote and the bus symbolically moved just for 100 meters towards the LoC. Around 31 passengers crossed into the Indian side for the first time.

Another 24 passengers are returning to Indian-held Kashmir.

The passengers later walked for a kilometer and crossed the LoC into the Chuk da Bagh area in Indian-held Kashmir.

Passengers from the Pakistani side were very happy to visit their relatives after so many years.

Passengers will travel without the need for visas and passports but will need special entry documents.

The bus will run twice from each side in a month.

The Titrinote point was opened for the first time in November 2005 after the October 5 devastating earthquake but only to allow delivery of relief goods.

Only 200 people from both sides have crossed the LoC since then.

Pakistan and India have opened three Kashmir crossing points after the October earthquake, but many members of divided families cannot easily cross the LoC due to the complicated and long procedure of getting travel documents.

2020/235/2321/1414