The Hindu : National : Bonhomie as Lahore bus is flagged off

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Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006

National

National

Bonhomie as Lahore bus is flagged off

Staff Correspondent

Inauguration a symbolic fulfilment of daily "Ardas" of Sikhs

CHANDIGARH: Traditional Punjabi bonhomie was on display when an enthusiastic crowd participated in the flagging off of the first Amritsar-Lahore bus, named "Punj-aab" [five rivers], on Tuesday. The first Lahore-Amritsar bus arrived in India last Friday.

Amid loud slogans in favour of India-Pakistan friendship, Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Rajinder Kaur Bhattal flagged off the flower-bedecked golden coloured 45-seater Volvo. The bus left the International Bus Terminal at the youth hostel in Amritsar a few minutes after 10 a.m. It crossed the zero line at the Attari-Wagah Joint Check Post (JCP) at 12:30 p.m.

Transport Minister for Pakistan Punjab Mir Aslam Iqbal and Deputy Commissioner of Lahore Mohammad Izzaz received the bus.

At the wheel was Jasbir Singh. The 39 passengers on the historic journey included Punjab Ministers Mohinder Singh Kaypee and Sardool Singh, Deputy Speaker of the Assembly Darbari Lal, Parliamentary Secretaries Ashwani Sekhri and Raj Kumar, Mayor of Amritsar Sunil Datti and Secretary of the Transport Department A.R. Talwar.

While the bus from Lahore, "Dosti," arrived with renowned singer Reshma, the bus from Amritsar had Punjabi folk singer Gurmit Bawa on board.

Speaking to reporters later, Ms. Bhattal said the inauguration of the bus service was a symbolic fulfilment of the daily "Ardas" (prayer) of Sikhs, who sought unhindered access to the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev at Nanakana Sahib and other shrines in Pakistan.

They were denied access to the shrines after Partition.

Mr. Kaypee thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for fulfilling the promise made by him at the function to mark the 400th anniversary of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib in the holiest shrine of the Sikhs, the Harmandar Sahib, last year.

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