SRINAGAR, April 3: President Pervez Musharraf?s picture popped up on billboards around Srinagar on Sunday as part of a publicity campaign to hail the launch of a bus service across Kashmir.

Ahead of Thursday?s start of the service, the occupied Kashmir provincial government placed huge billboards in Srinagar carrying pictures of Gen Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

?Shortening the distances and connecting hearts is the message from the prophets of peace,? billboards bearing the smiling faces of the two leaders say in the Urdu-language script.

A leader of the state government said the billboards are meant to applaud the statesmanship of the two leaders who agreed to launch the bus service despite threats from militants and political groups in both countries protesting the move.

?The hoarding is to salute the contribution towards peace by the two leaders,? Mehbooba Mufti, leader of ruling Peoples Democratic Party, told newsmen. ?The two have played a big role in the resumption of the bus service. We want to honour their statesmanship,? she said.

The billboards have drawn double takes from people walking by. ?For the first time in my life I am seeing a photograph of a Pakistani leader being displayed by the government here,? said Ali Mohammed, 75.?AFP