Natwar tries bus to break ice

Amid slogan-shouting over the Jharkand controversy, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh today said in the Rajya Sabha that the government...

Amid slogan-shouting over the Jharkand controversy, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh today said in the Rajya Sabha that the government has adopted a procedure without prejudice to India’s earlier stated position on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus-service.

Making an eight-page suo motu statement in the Rajya Sabha which was later adjourned over the Jharkhand issue, Singh said, the display of mutual flexibility has enabled India and Pakistan to respond to humanitarian considerations, particularly the opportunity for divided families to meet each other with relative ease.

He sought to underline that the government has made it clear to Pakistan that the peace process was critically dependent on the fulfillment of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s commitment to stop terrorism emanating from his country. In attempt to draw a response from the protesting BJP-led opposition, Singh said the proposal for the bus-link was first announced on October 22, 2003, by Yashwant Sinha, the then External Affairs Minister.

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However, the opposition was in no mood to respond despite that fact that the issue was close to the heart of Leader of the Opposition Jaswant Singh, who has been continuously expressing his concern over the move outside Parliament.

Singh clarified that all Indian and Pakistani nationals would be permitted to use this route across the Line of Control.

‘‘Each side will designate its authority for receiving application forms for travel and for issue of travel permits at the checkpoint,’’ he said, adding that on the Indian side, the designated authority is the regional passport officer in Srinagar.

He said the two countries have also agreed to start bus services between Lahore and Amritsar, including places such as Nankana Sahib. On the Baghlihar hydel project, he said India pointed out to Pakistan that the project was ‘‘fully in consonance’’ with the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, ‘‘to which we remain committed’’.