Dosti Bus goes empty to Pak

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 23

Despite tension between the two countries, India today took the ‘Dosti Bus’ to Pakistan, but without any passenger.

While Pakistan on Thursday had shut down its selected air space and motorways in its northern area, the Indian Government went ahead and continued the biweekly ritual — the Amritsar-Nankana Sahib bus service to Wagah.

“We, as a state government, cannot stop the bus on our own as it is a matter between the governments of both nations. Though we are pained at the Dinanagar, Pathankot and now Uri attack, we took the journey on Friday with a heavy heart,” said Punjab Transport Minister Ajit Singh Kohar.

The bus service initially started between Attari in Amritsar and Nankana Sahib in Pakistan in 2006. But Pakistan restricted it between Amritsar and Wagah in 2015, citing security concerns. As Indian pilgrims were given security only till Wagah, a huge dip has been reported since then. Passengers could travel up till Nankana Sahib but at their own risk.

Only two passengers undertook the journey in the last eight bus trips since September 1. However after the Uri attack, the bus journey on Tuesday couldn’t be undertaken as Pakistan did not grant the visa on time.

According to a senior official of the Punjab Roadways, the department had applied for visa a week before its expiry. But the Pakistan High Commission issued it on Tuesday. “Our staff kept waiting at the Pakistan High Commission throughout the day, but they did not issue visa to our driver due to which we could not take the trip on Tuesday,” said an official.

The bus service resumed as usual today, but without any passenger. Another major reason for the decline in passengers is that while there is no police verification of people who are travelling on the Delhi-Lahore bus or those travelling by other means to Pakistan, pilgrims travelling to Nankana Sahib through the Dosti Bus require police verification to cross Wagah.