NEW DELHI, March 4: India said on Friday a cautious peace process with Pakistan was 'critically dependent' on Islamabad fulfilling its pledge not to allow its soil to be used as a launch-pad for 'terrorism'.

External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh told parliament that 'meaningful progress' had been achieved in the peace initiative between the two countries, the Press Trust of India news agency said. But Mr Singh also said: "The (Indian) government has made it clear the process is critically dependent on the fulfilment of the January 6, 2004 commitment of President (Pervez) Musharraf not to permit any territory under Pakistan's control to be used to support terrorism in any manner."

He said the proposed Kashmir bus service was expected to start on April 7 under the agreement reached during his talks with Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri in Islamabad last month.

Mr Singh said all Indian and Pakistani nationals would be permitted to use the route across the Line of Control. The procedure adopted for the service was "without prejudice to our stated position on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

Mr Singh said 'mutual flexibility' had enabled the two countries to initiate a significant step for humanitarian considerations, particularly the opportunity for divided families to meet each other with convenience.

He said each side would designate its authority for receiving application forms for travel and for issue of travel permits at the checkpoint. The minister said his visit to Islamabad had taken place in the overall context of improving relations with Pakistan.

"We intend to impart further momentum to the present process," he said, adding that the two countries had also agreed to start a bus service between Lahore and Amritsar, including to religious places such as Nankana Sahib.

He said Islamabad had also agreed to work towards the early restoration of the Munabao-Khokhrapar rail link, which was severed in 1965. "These links would significantly enhance people-to-people contacts, which have provided palpable support to the present process," he said.

Meanwhile, federal officials in Srinagar issued forms on Friday to people wanting to travel on the first buses due to travel April 7 and 14. "We've issued 100 forms to the people wanting to travel on the bus service" of which 60 would be short-listed for the two journeys, passport official John Shilshi said in Srinagar. -Agencies