Terror threats: Indo-Pak bus service restricted to Wagah

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 7

Terror threats to target the Delhi-Lahore bus, popularly known as ‘Sada-e-Sarhad’, have taken their toll with the Pakistan Government deciding to restrict its movement to Wagah on the Pakistan side.

The bus, which commenced its service in 1999 with an aim to improve bilateral relations and people-to-people contact between two estranged nations, will not go beyond Wagah, in view of continued terror threats by Pakistan-based militant groups.

According to intelligence sources and an official attached with the Integrated Check Post, the bus would cross over to Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah land route, but it would not go beyond Wagah on the Pakistan side.

They said that as per information available, the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), which operates the bus on the other side of the border, has shifted its operations from Lahore to Wagah.

Passengers travelling from Lahore and Nankana Sahib will now have to board the bus at Wagah. Similarly, passengers from Delhi would disembark at Wagah, for their onward journey on different vehicles.

This is for the first time that the movement of bus has been restricted at Wagah. Earlier, it had been suspended after the Parliament attack in 2001. It resumed service in 2003 after the bilateral relations improved.

Intelligence agencies had asked the Pakistan Government about the threats by the Taliban groups to target the bus service. Then, the agencies here asked the states through which the bus passes to enhance security of the bus service.

Jasdeep Singh, SSP, Amritsar (rural) police, said the Police Department was already on alert. He said an SP-rank officer supervises the security arrangements while SHOs are deputed on rotational basis to escort the bus. Among the police jurisdictions that the bus passes through, Amritsar (rural) police control the maximum area.