Peshawar to Jalalabad bus service from March
RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD (February 23 2006): Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to start bus service between Peshawar and Jalalabad from next month, official sources told Business Recorder here on Wednesday.

They said that under the 'Operationalising Road Transport Agreement 2005', Islamabad and Kabul had set up two standing committees to work out modalities for starting bus service between Peshawar and Jalalabad and Quetta and Kandhar.

The Peshawar-Jalalabad route standing committee met in Rawalpindi on Wednesday and finalised details of the bus service which would give tremendous boost to the people-to-people contact and daily bilateral trade between the two countries.

The Pakistan side was led by Joint Secretary Ministry of Communication Firdous Alam and the Afghan side was led by Deputy Transport Minister Mohammad Hashim.

The two sides agreed that daily five buses, with 40+ passengers each would leave Peshawar for Jalalabad, while six buses would come from Afghanistan to Pakistan. The trial run from Pakistan side would be initiated on March 15, and from Afghanistan on March 17 2006.

They said that travel would be on valid international documents, ie passport, visa and ticket, whereas border crossing formalities would be completed at Torkham.

They said that the NWFP government has already entered into a consortium of transport companies, 'United Group of Cos' to operate these buses. The fare would be Rs 300 from Peshawar to Jalalabad, and Rs 270 from Jalalabad to Peshawar.

Sources said that Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation has also conveyed its willingness to operate a luxury bus service in May on alternate days at a fare of Rs 800 per ticket.

They said that the other standing Committee (for Quetta-Kandahar) would meet in Kabul soon to finalise modalities for starting bus service between Quetta and Kandahar on priority basis.

Commerce and industry circles in Rawalpindi, Islamabad and NWFP are attaching great significance to the operationalisation of road transportation and the bus service as Pakistan's exports to Afghanistan are likely to cross $1.5 billion mark this year, which were just $25 million a few years back during the Taleban rule.


Copyright Business Recorder, 2006
Source

Wrong! Step in the wrong direction!   

What in God's name is wrong with people these days! Jesus in high heavens would be literally shouting down at us for what we are doing!!!

Come on man! I mean first act of utter stupidity was to open up a freakin bus service with that gutter $h|thole india and now this. Do these people follow news and strategy trends. Haven't they heard that you have these faggot-indians fueling the Afghans against us, as well as the problem in Baluchistan!

FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, IF YOU WANNA OPEN A BUSS ROUTE WITH AFGHANISTAN THEN YOU HAVE TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND LOCKUP THE EASTERN BORDER WITH THAT FUKKED UP NEIGHBOR, INDIA.

The only way we would ever be able to capitilize on the China Corridor and really make a difference for our Afghan Brothers and the Central Asian Muslim States. Its by first shutting down the all routes with that gutter country on our eastern borders. Otherwise you will see our trade routes linking Middle East, Central Asia, Iran and Afghanistan to China, come under alot of proxy attckes by that gutter hole india!
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Calm down man. I don't like the bus service with India, but I do think that we have to open up towrds the west and there is no reason not to just because few Indians are sitting in Afghanistan. Sure Indians are working against us in Afghanistan but we shouldn't be defensive in this regard rather take the offense into Afghanistan and teach the anti-Pakistan elements a lesson or two there.

By shutting doors there, in my opinion, is exactly what India wants us to do; cut off our trade and communication to Central Asians. Time is precious and we can't wait until uncle Sam is gome and then Indians are gone. Indians would be creating more and more hurdles for us to get into Afghanistan and CARs. But we need to move against them and counter them. Its our backyard and our trade route and we need to build more leverage there. But we need our presence through trade and politics to counter forces that are working against us.
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And you are right about establishing proper procedures and controls in Immigration. But I think its unfair to Afghans as well as Kashmiris to keep their families divided.[right][snapback]739248[/snapback][/right]

Brotherman lemme explain what i invision for our Pakistan.

Reforms that need urgent attention

Pakistan Police: Education criteria set for all as affluent in subjects such as math, english and general knowledge. Plus incentives shown by police by monitoring educative programs run in the police to further educated and aware of current criminal tactics and strategies. Rooting out criminals within the police by making a prison for these ex-cops where the rehabilitation process takes place. Punitive punishment for anyone even so touches a cop and reverse for if the cop is found for corruption. Drive to bolster Police image by introducing programs where public/police interaction is promoted to identify how police should better perform to take care of its citizens.

Pakistan Immigration & Neutralization Dept: In order to make a working immigration enforcement institution, we need to conglomerate all aspects of this dept. From the grass root level of education and recruitment. All the way to the authority over ride where no minister, no politician, businessmen, or outside influence can excersize any influence on the I.N.Department! Same goes for our cops!

Pakistan Coast Guard: Which is equipped not only with the knowledge but also the the right tools to enforce Pakistan's Maritime Laws. These include dumping oil, toxic waste, smuggling of narcotics and human trafficing! Such a force prevents any terrorist activity as well, because Pakistan Coast Guard would be in tandem operation with Pakistan Navy! It also allows early detection potetial blockade our shipping lines.

Border Control: No, this isn't something like that pathetic rat-country has. This is based on what we already have, ie Pakistan Rangers. You see the only reason why Pakistan Rangers are patrolling our cities is because our police has proved itself o be incompetent so far. But gradually as the police improves, so do the rangers move to a more decisive role of border patrols. Equipping them with the current survaillence equipment, anti-narcotics warfare firepower and mobility with the likes of 4X4s, UAVs, COMs & etc.

Also, we need to build our media industry, which in turn can also put the spot light on these institutions and project the right image of not only these organizations but also Pakistan's. Producing programs which show what these guys do and inspire young generation Pakistanis with a wider choice of professions to go into, serving their country with pride! The possibilities are limitless!

With this in order, our Afghan & Kashmiri brothers can come and go as they wish cuz "yeh Pak sar zameen, hai Islam ka pasban!"

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you are missing the basic point...the afghans dont like us anymore ..they dont want us and indian presence is increasing day by day in afghanistan and their companies are involved in many projects there at the invitation of karzai and his government . pakistan is accused at every international forum of destabalizing afghanistan . now they dont even want us to name our missiles after their so called heroes. another fact my brother is that your ideas are too extreme. cutting all economic ties with India is more detrimental to pakistan than it is to india. they have given us MFN while we havent. they are a burgeoning economic powerhouse while we struggle to maintain our economy and stability. other countries are lining up to trade with them . their middle class is more than double the size of entire population of pakistan. these are realities that cant be ignored. afghan brothers my ass...the moderates accuse us ..taliban accuse us of traitorship. we have made a mess of the whole afghan situation and its pretty much out of our hands now.  how are we going to sort it out. your views are radical and extrme are unpractical ..almost bordering on foolish not to mention your limited repertoire of vocabulary --- rat cockroach..gutter country....bastards...filthy...##### etc.....you need to invent more insults ... calm down dude . noone is questioning your patriotism . alas you are also one of those whoe patriotism is based on anti india rhetorics and absolutely useless impractical suggestions cause it doesnt matter what we want ..there are a # of externalities that you choose to be conveniently oblivious to . but if it makes you sleep in peace then more power to you my brother.
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