| NEWSNOTES Bus to Pakistan
 Vajpayee
crossed the border, but did he bridge yet? Only time will answer. The barrier breaking bus
that entered into Lahore this Saturday afternoon may well set out of the trappings of
symbolism and lead to history or, and this is important, nowhere. Can the ensconced Indian
Prime Minister Atalbihari Vajpayee or the host Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif live up to the
expectations and hopes that this visit have generated on both sides of the border, all
depends on the initiatives and confidence-building steps that these people have stepped
into. Minus the communal and rapid mentality growing in on both sides and even within the
parties these two people belong to.
It was a visit wrapped in history, as the two Prime Ministers shaked hands at the Wagah Checkpoint 30 kilometres of Amritsar, it couldn’t have been a better place more. The 46 lakhs Gem from Switzerland that rolled into Wagah-Atari brought along the goodwill and good feelings of the people along the road. The ringing melody harmony brought open the hopes and neighbourliness people of both these countries nurture. Inspite of whatever destiny there rulers have led them to. The tunes of "sade nal rahogi to aish karogi" and "nachoge mere sath to dil milega" from both the countries were ringing these rythms in the minds of the thousands who had gathered for the occasion at the border. The 52 years checkpoint has remained a main land route between the two countries and Vajpayee isnt the first person to cross the border, hundreds have been doing the same thing everyday. The busy day of immigration check, crossover and meeting people, in the day’s end a ceremonious joint flag down Thousands have gathered at the Wagah-Atari for years for the sunset-view-friendship. So what is very special about this time? Only, this time the wheels of the bus seems to rekindle hopes that ‘one day all will be easy After months of planning the visit finally took place, even amidst the doubts and opposition within the Bharatiya Janata Party and open opposition from Shiv Sena its partner. There were opposition in other end too from Jamaat-e-Islami. But perhaps people's initiatives and good playing of cards by Nawaz Sharif couldnt derail the course. Vajpayee started the course at Amritsar at 3Pm, with a entourage of noted filmstar Dev Anand, Shatrughan Sinha, Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal, Javed Akhtar, Satish Gujral, Mahendra Kapoor, et all. Riding over the 30 odd Km.s in fun and frolic the bus reached Wagah at 4.30. As soon the dust were sighted people chanted 'a gayee, a gayee' It has come. There was a rousing welcome by Sharif at the border. though there were early plans of a land route to Lahore it had been abandoned earlier due to jamaat protests. Even a helicopter offtake to Lahore couldnt mar the protestors, The banquet dinner got an hour postponed due to protests in front of Durbar Hall. But still it coudnt dampen the spirit. Sunday started with a visit to Minar-E Pakistan, a unscheduled visit, but it went off well with the Pak, some sighseeings and the joint Lahore Declaration in the day's end speaking of amity and goodwill. PS: A late night release says returning home, Vajpayee rang up his counterpart and pointed out about the killings in J&K. So is it back to square one? Wait for history's own time. |
