For once, people to people was stronger than state to state

“I’m 80 years old, but now I feel like a 12-year-old,” said Ghulam Haider Khan shortly after arriving in PoK. “I have not met my relatives here since 1947. It is a blessing of God that I am here today,” he said.

On the other side in Baramulla, an emotional Syed Sharif Hussain hugged his teenage niece, Naseem, who he was seeing for the first time.

“After more than 50 years, I’m coming home. It is the happiest day of my life,” said the frail-looking Hussain, who crossed the LoC in 1950 and was never able to come back to his parents, brothers and sisters.

“I’ve seen her only in photographs, she is my niece,” he said as he held Naseema tightly, adding that he now wanted to bring his children to Srinagar.

Tears streamed down Naseema’s face as the young girl hugged her uncle in Baramulla where thousands of people shouting “Long live India-Pakistan” lined up on the roadside to see the bus pass by.

“I just cannot believe it. God has answered my prayers and sent my uncle back,” she said.

The bus service is the most concrete sign of progress in a cautious peace process relaunched last year. And many Kashmiris hope it will be the first step to a lasting resolution of the dispute despite attacks by militants rebels who see it as a sell-out.

But politics and fighting were far from the thoughts of relatives hugging and being showered with rose petals by well-wishers today.

“I’m extremely happy. It feels very good to me,” said Mohammad Taj, who had come to PoK to meet his sister.

Noreen Arif, who works for the government of PoK burst into tears as she met and threw her arms around her uncle. “It’s the first time that I have seen my uncle,” she said.

Her uncle, Raja Naseeruddin from Uri was overjoyed. “We have come here to meet our own. We have met them and it’s just like we’ve landed in heaven,” he said.

REUTERS