J-K: Pak passengers hope for better relations with India

Poonch (Jammu and Kashmir) : Passengers from Pakistan who came to India by the Poonch-Rawalakot cross LoC bus service on Tuesday said that they hoped the government which is going to be elected on July 25 will extend a hand of friendship to the Indian government.

The bus service runs only once a week on Monday. The bus service was started in 2005. On this day, passengers from Indian side go to Pakistan to visit their relatives and vice versa.

The passengers who were here today became emotional when they met their relatives and acquaintances. They hoped that the government which will come to power in Pakistan would take steps to restore peace in the valley.

Mohammad Farooq , a passenger from Rawalpindi, said, "We expect that the Kashmir issue gets resolved, and people from both sides of the border can meet each other without any difficulty. We want a decision which will follow the United Nations guidelines and the wishes of the people on both sides."

"There are Kashmiris on both sides of the border and our culture is also the same. We want the new government to extend a hand of friendship," said another passenger.

Mohammad Shaukat, another passenger who was visiting India for the first time said, "We hope our government will take a step forward. Opening of the border is the first step. I am visiting India for the first time and it feels great," said.