The Hindu : National : Pakistan conducts dry run of bus service

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 14, 2005

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National

Pakistan conducts dry run of bus service

An eight-member Pakistani delegation crosses over into India

Wagah (Punjab): A dry run from Lahore to Amritsar was conducted by Pakistan on Tuesday with a bus carrying eight officials crossing into India through the Atari-Wagah joint check post.

The bus crossed Radcliffe Line at the JCP on the International Border here at 10.55 a.m. with officials led by Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director Hasim Khan.

The Pakistani delegation was received by Punjab Minister for Excise and Taxation Sardool Singh; Amritsar Deputy Commissioner K. D. S. Bhullar; State Transport Secretary A. R. Talwar; Director (Transport Department) Narinderjit Singh, and State Transport Commissioner Iqbal Singh Sidhu.

Hailing the initiative, Mr.Khan said, ``this bus service would run between the border towns — Lahore and Amritsar — and help in bringing people of the two neighbouring countries closer, strengthening the relationship''. The regular service was scheduled to start from Lahore on December 23 and from Amritsar on December 27.

``It could be more effective if both the nations set up their visa counters at Wagah border'' since those applying for visas in Pakistan had to go to Islamabad. Similarly, people from Amritsar had to travel to New Delhi for visas. — PTI

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