INDIA: Escorted by armed guards, the bus service between India and Pakistan resumed yesterday after an 18-month break as the nuclear-armed states begin a laborious peace process after coming close to war at least twice last year.
Two buses, one from India's capital New Delhi and the other from the Pakistani border city of Lahore, headed for Wagah, the only border crossing between countries which have fought three wars since independence 56 years ago.
"I am very happy. I am seeing my sister after three years," said Abdul Qayoom Wani, a civil servant on the Indian bus.
"I have a feeling that this time the service will continue, " said Laiq Ahmed (45), an Indian Muslim travelling with his family to his niece's wedding in Pakistan. The marriage was delayed after India and Pakistan severed road, rail and air links, withdrew their ambassadors and deployed nearly a million troops on the border last year.
This followed the suicide attack on India's parliament by five gunmen in December 2001 which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan.
Adorned with flowers and banners hailing the resumption of the "friendship" service, the two buses arrived at their respective destinations of Lahore and Delhi 10 hours later. "We are looking forward to a peaceful solution to all the problems between India and Pakistan.
"We hope the goodwill gesture will be appreciated and Pakistan will end cross-border terrorism," federal transport minister Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, who saw off the bus in Delhi, said.
India accuses Pakistan of fuelling the 14-year old Muslim insurgency in Kashmir, which is divided between the two but claimed by both. Over 40,000 people have died in Kashmir's civil war.