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Top Stories
Breakthrough: India-Pak
bus service from April 7
What is India News Service,
Thursday, 17 February 2005, 1900 hrs IST
India and Pakistan on Thursay took a giant step forward in normalising bilateral relations when they
agreed to start a bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad from April 7, 2005, and commence new bus services between Amritsar and Lahore and to agreed religious places such as Nankana Sahib.
Indians, Pakistanis and Kashmiris will be able to avail of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service on the basis of entry permits "once identities are verified". No third country citizens will be allowed to travel through this bus service, officials said.
Application forms for travel will be available with designated authorities in Srinagar and Muzaffarabad. In the case of India, the forms will be available from the office of the Regional Passport Officer, Srinagar only, under the aegis of the Ministry of External Affairs.
India looks upon the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service in a stand-alone manner and a decision on humanitarian grounds which should not be seen to affect or change New Delhi's stated position on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
If buses can fly, the neighbours will meet: Diplomatic hurdles are over, but the 171-km Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route is un-metalled, full of potholes and lined with unfinished bridges.
'An invitation to terrorists':
"Today's decision will open a floodgate for infiltration by terrorists in the garb of tourists from across the border, specially PoK," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Wednesday.
Indo-Pak bus pact brings cheer in valley:
While the common man here is faced with shortage of essential commodities due to recent blockades of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, the Indo-Pak agreement on starting bus service to Muzaffarabad has brought cheer on many faces in Kashmir.
Cricket series is on: The Pakistan cricket team's tour to India is on, the Foreign Secretary, Shyam Saran, told presspersons today. In response to a specific question, Mr. Saran said he had no reason to believe that the cricket series would not go
on.
Pak PM\92S kudos for Natwar:
It was unexpected praise from unexpected quarters for External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh. When the EAM called on Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz this morning, the latter welcomed him warmly and said: \93Hello, Mr Foreign Minister. How are you. You were looking great and relaxed yesterday on the TV.\94
LoC on way to
becoming 'soft border': The Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir is set to become a "soft border" between India and Pakistan soon. In a dramatic departure from firmly held positions of the past, External Affairs Ministers of the two countries agreed to allow travel across the LoC without passports and visas by the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service scheduled to start from April 7, just seven weeks from now.
I&B Minister for adult content on TV after prime time: In a clear departure from the previous NDA government's stand on blipping out adult content from television, the I&B Ministry is planning a more pragmatic policy that will allow adult films to be shown late at night.
Spiral in Christian population - NCM seeks Church's explanation:
Alarmed at the "high growth" of Christians in the North-Eastern states, the National Commission of Minorities has asked the Church of the region to probe if it was because of religious conversions or other factors.
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States
Hoshiarpur observes complete bandh:
To lodge their protest against the brutal killing of Abhi Verma, alias Harry, and the failure of the police to protect him, irate residents of the town observed a near total bandh today.
Earlier headlines:
Boy found
dead
Hoshiarpur boy kidnapped for Rs 50 lakh ransom
Scare on hepatitis-B \91engineered\92:
The ruling Samajwadi Party and the opposition for once joined hands in the Vidhan Sabha today to underline the role of MNC pharmaceutical companies in creating a hepatitis B scare to sell their exorbitantly priced vaccine.
Has Paswan jumped the gun?:
In his eagerness to project himself as the real alternative to the Lalu-Rabri regime, has Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan revealed the best-kept secret or post-poll strategy of the Congress-led Government at the Centre? This is what is being avidly discussed in Congress and Government circles, both in Delhi and in
Patna.
Transferred CJ continues to function:
Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Mr Justice B.K. Roy, who has been transferred to the Guwahati High Court and who left Chandigarh to take charge, continues to function as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
'Rudimentary
Tamil-Brahmi script' unearthed at Adichanallur: A piece of writing has been discovered inside an urn at the Iron Age burial site at Adichanallur, 24 km from Tirunelveli town in Tamil Nadu. The script has six letters.
Dalit woman stripped on way to vote, alleges BJP minister's role:
Rajasthan Agriculture Minister Prabhu Lal Saini is in the eye of a storm over the alleged kidnapping and public stripping of a Dalit woman.
No takers for Telgi's properties:
Fear seems to be the key why there were no takers for two properties of the kingpin of fake stamp paper racket Abdul Karim Telgi, which came under the auctioneer's hammer in Bangalore on Wednesday. Of the three properties, which were sought to be auctioned by the Income Tax department, only one was sold. It was purchased by Bangalore's Le Meridian Hotel Group for a reserve price of Rs 1.43 crore.
Neighbours
Nepal
Opposition leader held: A prominent Opposition leader in Nepal was arrested today, shortly after he announced launching of an agitation by major political parties against the royal takeover. Nepali Congress spokesman Arjun Narsingh was picked up from his office in Balkhu without being handcuffed. The arresting official said he had, \93orders to bring him in.\94
Pakistan
minister pessimistic on Baglihar: War is the only option to resolve differences with India on the Baglihar hydro power project in Jammu and Kashmir, a senior Pakistan Minister has said even as Islamabad approached the World Bank for settling the contentious issue.
\91Baby 81\92 reunited with parents:
A four-month-old tsunami survivor nicknamed, \91Baby 81\92, was today reunited with his overjoyed parents in Sri Lanka after a
seven-week-long painful custody battle during which they passed a crucial DNA test to prove that the infant belonged to them.
Kabul, a city in rebuilding mode:
Afghanistan\92s war ravaged capital of Kabul is a city that appears to be on the mend. With nearly three decades of destruction and mayhem in its past, thanks to the political shenanigans of the rugged country\92s warlords and unscrupulous politicians, Kabul now presents itself as a city where its people and leaders want change in right earnest, a change for the better and a change that reflect
View from abroad
IMF
asks India to respond to Pakistan's objections: The World Bank has asked India to respond to Pakistan's objections to the construction of a dam over the Chenab River in occupied Kashmir, US sources told Dawn on Wednesday.
Engineering 'Oscars' for 5 NRIs: The awards underscore US policy of easing visa restrictions on foreign scientists.
Americans
flock to India for treatment: A reversal of medical tourism now has Americans making a beeline for India, seeking latest and cheaper treatments.
Democracy-linked curbs waived:
President George W. Bush has once again waived democracy-related restrictions on Pakistan, enabling the country to continue to receive US assistance.
Overall
India, Pakistan agreed on bus service: Foreign Minister Natwar Singh's
trip to Islamabad resulted in a breakthrough on an international bus route.
Nepal arrested opposition leader: He was taken away without being
handcuffed on "orders from above".
Americans flock to India: Medical tourism is catching on, thanks to the
technology and cost advantage in India.
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