M A I N   N E W S

Curtain falls on Delhi-Lahore bus

New Delhi, December 28
As the last of the Indian bus to Lahore rolled out of Delhi and disappeared into the fog this cold December morning, there was not a happy soul aboard.

Passengers board the Sada-e-Sarhad, the Delhi Lahore bus on its final trip to Lahore after the government suspended the bus service from December 31. — PTI photo

The scene at the Ambedkar bus terminal here was sombre and heavy with tearful adieus in stark contrast to the lively mood and happy reunions two years ago, when the Sada-e-Sarhad or Delhi-Lahore Bus service opened another point of people to people linkage.

An inconsolable Ahmed had literally pulled herself out of her sister’s wedding, later today, to get into the ‘last’ service to Lahore or face uncertainty as official relations between the two nations continued to sour post December 13.

Ahmed, whose parents are in Delhi, went to Pakistan after her marriage in 1981, knew it was her last chance to get back with her children safely, once India announced snapping the bus service and the Attari-Lahore passenger train from new year as part of its diplomatic salvo against Pakistan, for failing to take action against terrorist outfits responsible for the attack on Parliament.

Ahmed and all the 32 other passengers wanted the bus and road links to continue, the termination of which would be a huge personal loss for them.

“I came here just for 10 days, and am leaving on the 8th day... the service should continue and multiple visas be allowed... can’t we live in happiness at least for eight days?,” Ahmed said as she got into the bus.

“I came to see relatives in India for the first time... but didn’t know it could be my last visit... I wish both of us (India and Pakistan) live in happiness,” said Shazia Khan, a BA student from Hyderabad, Pakistan.

“Nafrat Se Nuksaan Hi Hoga... Fayda Kisi Ka Nahin Hoga (Hatred will only bring loss, no benefits),” said Haji Noor Muhamad, who came to see a young relative with his wife.

No one would know better than Noor, who had migrated to Pakistan in 1947 and suffered a lot before starting to earn a living as a trader.

Noor, who originally hails from Delhi like his President, was unhappy at learning that the air-link between the two countries also stood stalled for now.

“Tab to Allah Jane (Then only God knows), he sighed, thinking when next he would return to the place of his birth.

Kishan Lal from Pakistan was carrying back a pitcher with Ganga Jal. “There is no hatred between people... they want to come here and go... I wish the service to continue.”

A hapless Krishan Lal, shrugged, “Bahut Pareshani Ho Rahi Hei... Magar ye Sarkar Ka Mamla Hai, Hum Kya Kah Sakte Hein... (There is a lot of inconvenience, but it’s a government decision, what can we say?”

An equally sombre Sher Singh, who has been driving the bus since its inception in 1999, said “I am the only driver left from the first team... I am also taking the last bus.”

At 4 a.m. in a very foggy morning, the usual drill of closing the Terminus was performed in the quiet with only the passengers allowed inside.

At 5.10, the bus arrived, with three Delhi Police vans and a Riot Control vehicle honking along.

As passengers moved on for the elaborate security checks, Shahab Siddiqui, a relative who had come to see off his nephew said; “If things become normal, the services- rail and bus-should definitely be re-established.”

“There is no hatred between common people on the ground in both the countries,” he said.

As the bus rolled, it was curtains for another saga in Indo-Pak relations with people like Siddiqui hoping that the curtains were down “only for the moment.” PTI