Shiv Sena says Lahore-Delhi bus will not go back safely

8220;Anything can happen to the bus which today left Lahore for Delhi on a trial run, in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. But we will not cause any harm to passengers,8221; Goyal told reporters.8220;Even if the bus somehow reaches Delhi, Shiv Sainiks will not let it go back safe. We can destroy it and even burn it,8221; he added.

8220;Unless Pakistan8217;s ISI-sponsored militant activities in Kashmir are stopped completely, Shiv Sena activists will not allow any relations with Pakistan, be it a cricket match or a bus service,8221; Goyal said.

Lambasting the BJP for its criticism of the Shiv Sena for digging the Kotla pitch, Goyal said the Government had 8220;badly failed to contain8221; militancy in Kashmir and the party was no more talking about abrogation of Article 370.

8220;How India can have friendly relations with Pakistan as ISI agents are killing our citizens regularly and its national assembly recently passed a resolution denouncing India for the Gujarat incidents, which is clear interference in our internal matters,8221; he said, adding, 8220;Sena will be first to welcome the Pakistan cricket team, once ISI-backed militancy in Kashmir is stopped.8221;

The Indian bus, carrying a similar official delegation, on its dry run had reached Lahore on January 8 and had returned to New Delhi on January 11.

The Pakistani bus, with 15 officials and a four-member crew on board, led by Dr Tajul Islam Yousafzai, general manager, Pakistan national highway authority, crossed the zero line after the respective entry gates of India and Pakistan were opened by security guards, about 145 minutes later than scheduled.

The bus, belonging to the Pakistan tourism development corporation, drove up in dense fog which reduced visibility to a few metres.

After going through the formalities and welcome by the Indian officials, the bus resumed its onward journey to New Delhi at 9.50 am.

The trial run of the Pakistan bus, having a seating capacity of 24 people, followed two days after the Indian bus had completed its dry run of the regular bus service being launched on the initiative of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif.

Yousafzai expressed to newsmen his Government8217;s pleasure at the starting of the bus service between the two countries after a gap of 50 years.

The regular bus service, which he termed as a 8220;friendship venture8221;, would in all probability commence in the first week of February, he said

8220;This is the first such service between India and Pakistan, but this would be improved to cover the whole continent,8221; Yousafzai said, adding that the New Delhi-Lahore bus service would be the most economical service between the two countries.

Asked about possible threat to the bus service from certain quarters, he dismissed them saying, 8220;Such elements are everywhere in the world. We should not bothered about them.8221;

Sharing his views with reporters, the deputy leader of the team, Syed Ishtaq Hussain, managing director, Pakistan tourism development corporation, said, 8220;We won8217;t feel unsafe in India. We are on a peaceful mission. Why should be worry about threats?8221;

Asked whether he carried any message from the Pakistani prime minister, Yousafzai said, 8220;The message is very clear that this bus service must begin, as this is the first step towards friendship.8221;

Yousafzai said the team was scheduled to meet Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit during the stay in New Delhi.