Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has suspended the Delhi-Lahore bus service on Monday, days after Pakistan cancelled operations on its side in the wake of India revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, a senior official of the public transporter told PTI.
Agencies
New Delhi, August 12:
Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has suspended the Delhi-Lahore bus service on Monday, days after Pakistan cancelled operations on its side in the wake of India revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, a senior official of the public transporter told PTI.
This development comes close after Indian Railways cancelled the Samjhauta Express from its side.
Pakistan had cancelled the bus service operations as part of downgrading diplomatic ties with India, in response to the scrapping special status to Jammu & Kashmir.
Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) left from Amritsar to Lahore for the last time on Saturday. The decision to scrap by DTC was announced by the Friday evening.
“Consequent to Pakistan’s decision to suspend the Delhi-Lahore bus service, DTC is not able to send bus (from Delhi to Lahore) from August 12,” said a statement from DTC.
The bus service, that was service was more a symbol of diplomatic relations between the two naions was initiated for the first time on February 1999, which was later suspended post the 2001 Parliament attack. It started again back in July 2003.
As per PTI reports, the last bus for Lahore from Delhi carried mere two passengers on Saturday morning while the return bus to the national capital carried a total of 19 passengers by Saturday evening. The bus service did not operate on Sunday.
Although, the number of passengers have been depleting this year since February, following the Pulwama terrorist attack and Balakot surgical strikes that has worsened the bilateral relations between the two countries.
