New Delhi: Former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee, often regarded as one of the finest leaders this country has seen in the post-Independene era, was someone who always tried to maintain peace with our neighbouring country despite the Kargil War in 1999 in which Pakistan first attacked Indian territories. Among Vajpayee’s many efforts to forge peace between the two neighbouring nations, the Delhi-Lahore Bus, officially known as ‘Sada-e-Sarhad’ a passenger bus service connecting New Delhi with Lahore particularly stands out. The effort was meant to foster peaceful and friendly relations between the two nations.
Why was the bus service launched?
After the Partition of India in 1947, there had been travel restrictions between the two nations with most road and railway links blocked. In 1976, the Samjhauta Express was launched and it served as an inspiration behind the implementation of the bus service years later so that families divided by the Partition could visit relatives. It was thought that the bus service would also foster tourism and commerce.
How did the bus service help to improve the situation?
The launch of the bus service proved to be crucial in the efforts of both governments to improve frosty relations. The relationship between India and Pakistan was especially tense after the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests and the response from Pakistan in the form of the Chaghai Hills tests. On January 8 and 14, the bus had made its trial runs carrying officials of both governments.
When did Vajpayee travel on the bus?
On February 19, 1999, the inaugural run of the bus took place and it carried Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was to attend a summit in Lahore and was received by Nawaz Sharif, his Pakistani counterpart at the Wagah border. Once he arrived in Lahore on the bus, he was received with much fanfare and it received media coverage across the world.
That inaugural bus journey, along with Vajpayee, carried other celebrities and dignitaries like Kapil Dev, Dev Anand, Javed Akhtar, Satish Gujral, Shatrughan Sinha, Mallika Sarabhai and Kuldip Nayar. It led to the Lahore Declaration in 1999 in which both nations pledged to solve problems peacefully, especially the Kashmir conflict and deployment of nuclear weapons apart from improving relations.
When was the bus service suspended?
The bus service continued even during the Kargil War but was suspended after the attack on the Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001. It was resumed on July 16, 2003, when bilateral relations improved. In August 2019, Pakistan ended the service after India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was someone who always tried to maintain peace with Pakistan despite the Kargil War in 1999. Among his many efforts to forge peace, the Delhi-Lahore Bus service particularly stands out. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
