Kashmir residents welcome increase in frequency of bus service to Pakistan

Poonch (J-K), Sept 17 : Residents of Kashmir have welcomed the increase in the frequency of a bus service between Poonch and Rawalkot.

The fortnightly service has now been converted into a weekly one.

Welcoming the move for better people-to-people contact, the residents said they also hoped the time-consuming process of getting traveling documents would be made simpler.

"We are thankful to the governments of India and Pakistan for starting the weekly service. However, if the lengthy process of papers for travelling is made simple, it would be better for the people. The weekly service would bring more warmth in the relations as people of the two sides are alike," said Abdul Kabir, a Rawalkot -bound passenger.

The bus service was started in June 2006. The Poonch- Rawalkot bus, which covers a distance of 55 km, is the second inter-Kashmir service after the one connecting Srinagar and Muzaffarabad.

ANI