Wednesday, May 11 2005 13:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: India and Pakistan today (May 11, 2005) agreed in principle to start a bus service connecting Amritsar with Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, and discussed modalities for starting another service between Amritsar and Lahore at the two-day technical level talks, which concluded in Islamabad.

The modalities and frequency of the proposed Amri|sar-Nankana Sahib service would be discussed in a subsequent technical level meeting to be held in New Delhi in two months time, a joint statement issued after the meeting said.

The meeting, held in a "friendly and cordial atmosphere", discussed the modalities for operationalisation of the Lahore-Amritsar bus service, including the designated route, bus terminal, facilities for the bus crew, modalities of visa arrangements and a Protocol Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the bus service, it said.

While the Indian delegation was headed by Joint Secretary Surface Transport Alok Rawat, the Pakistani side was led by Mohammad Abbas, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Communications.

The two sides yesterday (May 10, 2005) said they had made "progress" in the talks to run separate bus services connecting Amritsar with Lahore and Nankana Sahib as well as to establish hotline communication links between the Coast Guards of the two countries.

Both the bus services figured in the Joint Statement issued at the end of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's visit to New Delhi last month. It said the two leaders "looked forward" to early start of both the buses.