Blast should not Derail Indo-Pak Peace Process: EU  
'Pakistan Times' Monitoring Report

NEW DELHI (India): Expressing shock at the blast in the Samjhauta Express, European Union (EU) urged Indian and Pakistan that the incident should not derail the dialogue process.

The EU Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner, on her 5-day visit to India, said that the reconciliation between India and Pakistan would bring about tremendous benefit to not only the two countries but also the entire region.

In London, the Executive Director of Kashmir Centre London, Prof Nazir Ahmed Shawl, in a statement, strongly condemned the blasts, urging the two countries that dialogue process should not be affected due to this unfortunate incident.

He also visited the home the Executive Director of Kashmir Centre in Brussels, Barrister Abdul Majeed Tramboo, to condole the sad demise of his father, Muhammad Abdullah Tramboo who passed away in New Delhi a couple of days ago.

Bus for Pakistan

Meanwhile, the Lahore bus with 46 passengers on board left for its Pakistani destination early on Tuesday morning amidst tight security, a day after two powerful explosions ripped through the trans-border Samjhauta Express train in Deewana killing over 60 people.

Twenty-nine Pakistani nationals and 19 Indians, who boarded the fully air-conditioned "Sada-e-Sarhad" bus, left for Lahore from Ambedkar Stadium bus terminal in Central Delhi at 6 am.

Tight security measures were in place at the Delhi Transport Corporation's terminal from where the bus started its journey.

Passengers were frisked and baggages thoroughly scanned before the bus left the station.

The bomb disposal squad also conducted a thorough check of the bus. Security personnel were also deployed in huge numbers.

The "Sada-e-Sarhad" bus service was re-started on July 11, 2003. The service, which was launched amidst much fanfare during 1999, was suspended after the 2001 Parliament attack.●