SRINAGAR, 22 April 2005 — Bus passengers from the Indian and Pakistani-zones of Kashmir yesterday defied militant threats and crossed the heavily-militarized cease-fire line for the second time in almost 60 years.
The first batch of passengers crossed on April 7 after India and Pakistan agreed to resume the bus service between the two divided zones. Eleven Pakistanis and 14 returning residents of Indian Kashmir, who came to Muzaffarabad on the first bus two weeks ago, were the first to walk across the 220-foot bridge which straddles the Line of Control (LOC), the de facto border splitting the Himalayan region, police and witnesses said yesterday.
The green gate on the Pakistani side was flung open as the bus stopped at the bridge, amid the raising of white flags by Indian and Pakistani soldiers.
After customs clearance they boarded two buses for their onward journey to Srinagar, Indian Kashmir’s summer capital.
Three hours later about 30 passengers from the Indian side crossed the bridge to buses waiting to take them to the Pakistan-controlled capital of Kashmir, Muzaffarabad.
Some of them were returning home after they crossed on the first bus to Indian Kashmir. The buses rolled from Srinagar and Muzaffarabad under tight security yesterday morning.
Ten minutes before the two buses rolled out of the high-security Cheshma Shahi area of Srinagar, two dummy buses accompanied by an ambulance and security vehicles headed off to mislead militants who have threatened to target those on board, police said.
“All the passengers were housed (overnight) in state-owned guest houses for security reasons,” a police officer said in Srinagar. Pakistani Kashmir’s senior minister Mumtaz Gilani flagged off the bus from Muzaffarabad. Security forces took up positions along the route.
“The security arrangements are watertight all along the route of the bus in our zone,” a Pakistan security official, requesting anonymity, told AFP.
Despite tight security and potential militant violence, passengers crossing the divide were excited.
“It is a dream come true. I have been only hearing about this Kashmir but today I am here seeing the people and the place,” said Sana Altaf, an 11 year-old girl from Muzaffarabad, after crossing into Indian Kashmir.
Altaf’s 43 year-old mother Parveena Akhter said she was visiting Indian Kashmir after 30 years. “My four brothers are here. I am on pins to meet them,” she said.
Ghulam Fatima, who returned after spending 15 days in Muzaffarabad, could not hide her excitement.
“I still don’t believe I have visited Muzaffarabad. It was exciting meeting my daughter and son-in-law after three decades,” she said.
During talks between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in New Delhi on Sunday, the two sides agreed to increase the frequency of the service from the current once every two weeks, as well as open the route to trucks to spur trade.
Four rebel groups as well as hard-line Kashmiri separatists oppose the bus service which they say creates a “soft border” that will take the steam out of their bid to rid Kashmir of Indian rule.
