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| Sunday, 27 February 2005 |
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Bus traffic to jam LoC from April 7 by Rashomi Silva Much debated bus service between Muzaffarabad and Srinagar in conflict-torn Kashmir will commence from early April this year to the relief of long estranged relatives living across the Line of Control (LoC) dividing the two nuclear super powers in South Asia. A joint statement issued by the two Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan, Natwar Singh and Khurshid Kasuri in Islamabad said the bus services will commence from April 7 and both the countries have agreed to use an entry permit system. "Pakistan and India said have agreed to allow travel across the LoC. Travel will be an entry permit system after identities are verified" the statement said. The travel documents are very simple, said a top diplomat in Colombo and added the idea was to allow more people to exchange between the two Kashmirs. "The resolution of Kashmir issue is not only for Indian and Pakistan but also for the rest of the South Asian region. If we are to stand up as a strong region there should be permanent peace between the most powerful nations in the region", the diplomat explained. "We consider the bus service between Muzaffarabad and Srinagar a positive step towards that direction," he said. The issue has been debated over for a long time as the two countries were unable to reach a settlement over the travel document to be used in crossing the border (LoC). The bus route is an all weather route and therefore enables travelling all throughout the year. |
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