Two passengers were onboard the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) bus which departed for Lahore from the Capital early on Saturday morning, sources claimed, even as the Pakistan government, later in the day, announced its decision to discontinue the Delhi-Lahore bus service.
In addition to the Delhi-Lahore service, two similar services between Pakistan and Amritsar were also suspended.
The bus departed from the Ambedkar Stadium Terminal here as part of the Delhi Transport Corporation’s (DTC) Delhi-Lahore service which commenced in February 1999, but was suspended after the 2001 Parliament attack before being restarted in July, 2003.
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According to a Delhi government official, the decision to continue or suspend the bus service from India’s end rested with the Ministry of External Affairs.
“A PTDC bus with two passengers left for Lahore at 6 a.m. from the Ambedkar Stadium Bus Terminal; three passengers were onboard a DTC bus coming from Lahore to Delhi,” said a government source.
The bus service between Lahore and Amritsar in addition to the one between Nankana Sahib and Amritsar was also suspended as per Government of Pakistan Ministry of Communication statement.
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Informed telephonically
According to sources, the PTDC had conveyed its decision to suspend the service from its end to the DTC telephonically in addition to informing the authorities concerned about a formal, written communication in this regard which it could expect later in the day.