LAHORE, July 11: The Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation’s two buses, plying on the Lahore-Delhi route, will be replaced by brand new buses by early next month.

This was announced by Federal Culture and Tourism Minister Raees Munir Ahmad while speaking at a ceremony held here at the PTDC terminal at Faletti’s on the resumption of the Lahore-Delhi Dosti bus service after a gap of over 18 months, on Friday.

The minister, however, said the existing two buses had been mechanically tested and were ready to ply on the international route.

The first PTDC bus that left the Faletti’s terminal at 6.30pm carried 27 passengers, including nine foreigners. Eight local and a Japanese journalists were also among the passengers.

Talking to Dawn before departure, passengers of the first Lahore-Delhi service expressed excitement on its resumption, saying the travel links between Pakistan and India should never be closed. They added that the closure of travel links affected the people of divided families living in the neighbouring countries.

Neelofar Masood, who was travelling with her husband Masood Yar Khan and three daughters —- Areeba Masood, Rimsha Masood and Ayesha Masood, said she was delighted to learn that the road link between the two neighbours was being revived. “We decided that we would be the first family to get visas and Dosti bus tickets to go to India,” the woman said.

As the Indian government had unilaterally announced suspension of the air, rail and road links, she said, “I was forcibly sent back to Pakistan just two days before my brother’s marriage. My parents in Aligarh are also very excited on our trip after over 18 months. I got Pakistani nationality 10 years ago after marriage,” Ms Neelofar added.

She also said Pakistan and India must normalise their ties because they were bound to live together as neighbours.

Nadeem Sajjad, who was travelling with his wife Tayyaba Nadeem and one-and-a-half-year-old daughter Noor Fatima, said they were going to Bangalore for the treatment of their daughter having two holes in heart. “We are going to India on the advice of a Pakistani cardiologist to see an Indian doctor for Fatima’s treatment,” he said.

Answering a question, he said the Indian High Commission had issued them a month ‘s visas easily. He said the bus service was quite cheap and easy way of transportation on the route.

Indian national Zubaida Sultan, who was travelling with her two sons Woheeb Sultan and Ehab Sultan, said she was going to visit her parents in Delhi after three years. “It is, however, unfortunate that the Indian High Commission did not issue my husband’s visa till Thursday.”

“We live in Madina, Saudi Arabia, while my in-laws are the citizens of Lahore,” she said, adding, “the Dosti bus service is quite comfortable, as we had travelled by this bus when we last visited India three years ago.”

Ms Zubaida’s husband Sultan Mahmood hoped that he would get visa on Friday and join his family in India travelling by the next Dosti bus.

Naushad H Rathore, who retired as the Punjab government under-secretary, said he was going to meet his relatives (maternal and paternal families) in Seetapur district of Utter Pradesh. He said it was good to see the resumption of the bus service before which people having divided families faced numerous problems. “Last time, I went to India by the Samjhota Express.”

Mr Rathore complained that the Indian High Commission had a small staff unable to accommodate people, who had to visit Islamabad to get Indian visa. “The Indian visa seekers are crying and lying on roadsides in Islamabad, as they have no money to spend in that ‘costly’ city,” he said.

Two US-based Pakistanis, Tariq Mahmood and Muhammad Munir, said the revival of the bus service was a good gesture on the part of the two governments. They said the service was much more comfortable than that of the Samjhota.

The passengers’ customs clearance was done within minutes while the same process at Wagah and Atari took hours, they said.

Tariq said he had many Indian friends he met in the US. “I am visiting India as a tourist for the first time in my life,” he added.

Munir said he had a six-month multiple visas and would stay in India for about a month, if it would be enjoyable.

The journalists who boarded the bus for the coverage of the journey were BBC’s Zafar Abbas, Shahid Malik, Adnan Adil and Ali Faisal Zaidi; Geo’s Ahmad Waleed and Mahboob Ali; PTV’s Fayyaz Ahmad Warraich; The News’ Saleemur Rahman; and Japan’s Ji Ji news agency representatives, Asif Mahfooz Farooqi and Nobuhiao Matsumoto.

Egyptian embassy counsellor Husain Ahmad Fawad Mahmood, Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner’s domestic servant Abdul Qadir, Nepalese tourist Govinda Neupane and a Pakistani, Muhammad Jamil Butt, were among the visitors.

BUS ARRIVES: Indian bus passengers, while talking to reporters, said they were excited for getting an opportunity to visit Lahore. They said friendship must be strengthened, as “people of both the countries want to meet.”