India dispatches 35 buses to Afghanistan

Wagah, June 29 (UNI) The first batch of thirty five buses of Indian make today rolled into Pakistan through this border check post, en route to Kabul as part of India's Humanitarian asscstance programme for war-ravaged Afghanistan.

Afghanistan's Deputy Director, Transport, Mr Saif Hyder along with a group of drivers and assistants crossed over into India to receive the buses. After meeting officials of Tata Motors, the manufacturers of the vehicles, Mr Hyder alongwith the 35-seater buses crossed into Pakistan.

The Pakistan government has granted land transit rights to Afghanistan paving the way for the buses to drive across the neighbouring country and all the way to Kabul.

India has pledged to donate about 240 buses/trucks to Afghanistan. A majority of these vehicles are being manufactured by Tata Motors.

The last time that Pakistan granted transit rights was in 2001, when 400 Tata and Ashok Leyland buses gifted by India to Afghanistan were allowed to pass. These vehicles are now plying on the roads of Kabul and in other provinces of the war-ravaged nation.

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