PM: ‘Onus on Pak as well to ensure those on board bus come to no harm’

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the onus of protecting lives of those who would be travelling on the first bus from Srinagar to Muz...

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the onus of protecting lives of those who would be travelling on the first bus from Srinagar to Muzaffarabad was not just on India. Pakistan too, he made clear, would have to shoulder the responsibility.

Addressing a press conference towards the end of his three-day visit to the island nation, Singh insisted that it was the ‘‘solemn responsibility of both nations to ensure the safety of the passengers.’’

The first bus from Srinagar to Muzaffarabad leaves on April 7 and both Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi are supposed to flag it off. The political importance being attached to the bus service is immense. But the militants have released a list of the passengers and have threatened to take their lives.

Story continues below this ad

The Prime Minister was asked how his government viewed this development and whether it would affect the future of the proposed bus service. In his response, the Prime Minister sounded unfazed as though the government was taking every precautionary measure. The hint was that it would go on without any hitch.

But the assertion that Pakistan shared equal responsibility on the issue was an interesting diplomatic move. It meant that India reserved the right to blame Pakistan for any militant attack on the bus or on its passengers. Of course, Manmohan Singh took enough precautions not to hurt Pakistan’s sensibilities, especially when his dialogue with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is due in roughly two weeks’ time.

Singh brushed aside questions on the fate of the dialogue after doubts had been expressed about the preparedness of Feroz Shah Kotla as a one-day match venue. He said, ‘‘these are minor hiccups’’ in an obvious reference to both the match and the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service. Earlier, there were broad hints coming out from the Prime Minister’s office that the match was on and so was the dialogue.

Sounding extremely confident about moving forward with the peace process, the Prime Minister said that the ‘‘caravan will move on’’. When asked what the thrust areas of discussion with Musharraf would be, he would not specify. He simply said ‘‘everything’’.

Story continues below this ad

In fact, the usually reticent Singh sounded extremely hopeful that this dialogue would yield a positive outcome and at least help in moving a step forward in the right direction.

‘‘We are ready to discuss everything they want us to talk about. We are not afraid of facing a single issue,’’ he said.