India says temporary aberrations in Delhi-Lahore bus service will be sorted

Gandhinagar: India on Wednesday expressed hope that “temporary aberrations” in the Dosti bus service connecting Delhi and Lahore, which has been restricted to the Wagah border by Pakistan in view of increased “terror threats”, will be sorted out.

“This is an initiative which our former Prime Minister Atal Bhihari Vajpayee and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had started. We hope that it would ply in accordance with their vision and if there are temporary aberrations, we hope these will be sorted,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told reporters on the sidelines of the 13th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas here.

“This has happened since the 31 December. If there are security concerns that Pakistan is expressing on its side, then it is for Pakistan to decide what is in their best interest, in terms of security,” he said.

The bus service between the two countries was started on 16 March, 1999 primarily to enhance people-to-people contacts following an initiative by the then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistan Premier Nawaz Sharif.

The Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) on Wednesday said the Pakistan-India Dosti bus service will now on be operated only up to Wagah Border.

On a question on the differences between Indian and the US intelligence agencies over the visit of US President Barack Obama, Akbarduddin said there was no difference between the two agencies.

President Obama is schedule to visit India later this month. He is going to be the chief guest at the Republic Day Parade on 26 January.

“Please do not look at differences where there is none. I can assure that India and the US work closely in these matters. They will agree on a way how we go about, keeping in mind the decorum of that occasion. Please be reassured all security concerns will be met,” Akbaruddin said.

Asked about India’s view on Pakistan Supreme Court’s order overturning the High Court order to release 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the MEA spokesperson said, “Those who deserve being behind bars, should be only in jail.

PTI