Dream come true

Salamabad, April 7 (PTI): A few hours ended a wait that had lasted decades.

?It is a dream come true for us. We will be meeting our relations after a gap of 15 years,? said Raja Inayat Khan, as he waited to catch a glimpse of his uncle Feroz Din Khan alighting from the first Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus.

Feroz had visited his relatives in Uri only once in 1989 since crossing over to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in 1947.

Inayat was joined by his uncle Raja Amanullah Khan at a centre specially set up to welcome the visitors.

Yesterday?s militant attack has not been able to strike terror in Inayat?s heart. ?We are not afraid of such attacks. It has become a routine for us,? he said, adding that such incidents are inimical to peace.

Inayat, who dreams of travelling to Muzaffarabad some day, said: ?I will never back out of such an opportunity no matter what the militants do.?

He feels the government should respond by increasing the frequency of the bus service.

First steps, live

Kaman Post (PTI): As the visitors stepped on Indian soil, they were on air.

The army has set up satellite videoconferencing for live coverage of the Pakistani passengers? arrival through Kaman Post.

?We have installed satellite videoconferencing apparatus on the Kaman bridge to air the historic entry of Pakistani passengers to Jammu and Kashmir,? said Col G.S. Rawat, commanding officer of the Uri sector.

Rawat said plasma screens were put up at the conference centre of Srinagar?s Sher-e-Kashmir cricket stadium, from where the ?caravan of peace? began rolling.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other dignitaries had direct view from the centre, he said.

Besides videoconferencing, high-tech communication facilities were set up at Kaman Post, he said, adding that these included telephone lines for the media, VIPs and guests.

Billboard bonhomie

Srinagar (PTI): Before Kotla, the momentous date took place in Kashmir, well almost.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pervez Musharraf came together on a massive billboard at the Sher-e-Kashmir cricket stadium, days before the two are supposed to meet at another cricket stadium ? Delhi?s Ferozeshah Kotla.

?My vision of making Jammu and Kashmir as a bridge of friendship between India and Pakistan is taking shape and the opening of the Jhelum Valley Road is the major concrete step towards this end,? said a message from chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who gave the two leaders company on the billboard.