India, Pakistan to launch Kargil-Skardu bus service

Islamabad, Mar 14 (UNI) Pakistan has agreed in principle to open the Kargil-Skardu route for a bus service, Foreign Secretary of India Shiv Shankar Menon said today.

"We can now start discussions on the modalities for implementing the decision," he told a joint press conference held along with his Pakistani counterpart Riaz Muhsammad Khan in Islamabad while concluding the two-day foreign secretary level talks.

He said the two sides also discussed trade across the Line of Control (LoC) but did not give further details in this regard.

Mr Khan, however, said the two countries could also launch a helicopter service linking Muzaffarabad with Srinagar and regular postal services between two Kashmirs.

"We have suggested more confidence building measures (CBMs) on the LoC," he said and added these measures would come under discussion during the fourth round of talks.

Pakistan and India are already running bus services on Muzaffarabad-Srinagar and Lahore-Delhi, Lahore-Amritsar and Nankana Sahib-Amritsar routes.

UNI