Bus to Muzaffarabad from April 7
Amritsar-Lahore, Amritsar-Nankana Sahib bus links also on the anvil
Islamabad, February 16
India and Pakistan today took a giant step forward in normalising bilateral relations when they agreed to start a bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad from April 7, 2005, and commence new bus services between Amritsar and Lahore and to agreed religious places such as Nankana Sahib.

Decision on bus service hailed
In video (28k, 56k)

In video: 'India ready to consider gas pipeline via Pakistan,' — Natwar Singh. (28k, 56k) Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz (right) escorts Foreign Minister Natwar Singh at the Prime Minister’s house in Islamabad on Wednesday. — Reuters photo

Indo-Pak bus pact brings cheer in valley
Srinagar, February 16
While the common man here is faced with shortage of essential commodities due to recent blockades of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, the Indo-Pak agreement on starting bus service to Muzaffarabad has brought cheer on many faces in Kashmir.

Islamabad Diary
Pak PM’S kudos for Natwar
It was unexpected praise from unexpected quarters for External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh. When the EAM called on Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz this morning, the latter welcomed him warmly and said: “Hello, Mr Foreign Minister. How are you. You were looking great and relaxed yesterday on the TV.”

Transferred CJ continues to function
Chandigarh, February 16
Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Mr Justice B.K. Roy, who has been transferred to the Guwahati High Court and who left Chandigarh to take charge, continues to function as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Sajjan Kumar case referred to Delhi CJ

Hoshiarpur observes complete bandh
Hoshiarpur, February 16
To lodge their protest against the brutal killing of Abhi Verma, alias Harry, and the failure of the police to protect him, irate residents of the town observed a near total bandh today.

Police remand for kidnappers

*Editorial: Murder of Abhi Verma
*Punjab page:
Abhi murder case: eyebrows raised over police role
Police watch in schools
Kidnapping case: Khanna cops rush to Bihar

Fresh snowfall cuts off valley for second day
Srinagar, February 16
The Kashmir valley remained cut off from rest of the country for the second day today as the Srinagar-Jammu highway was closed to traffic due to fresh snowfall at Jawahar Tunnel and landslides elsewhere, officials said.

Scare on hepatitis-B ‘engineered’
Lucknow, February 16
The ruling Samajwadi Party and the opposition for once joined hands in the Vidhan Sabha today to underline the role of MNC pharmaceutical companies in creating a hepatitis B scare to sell their exorbitantly priced vaccines.

Farmers’ dreams come crashing down Khera Gajju (Patiala),  February 16 For Ashok Kumar, a local farmer, it is a second tragedy to come about in a year. Earlier drought and now hailstorm have ravaged his dream to reap a rich harvest. Unable to describe his plight, Ashok Kumar, in a choked voice, says: “All has gone”. “All has gone,” says Ashok Kumar, a farmer of Khera Gajju village in Patiala district while standing in his hailstorm-devastated wheat field on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Pankaj Sharma