Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) announced that its Mirpur city will directly be linked by road with the United Kingdom through a direct bus service between the city and Birmingham, by the beginning of 2012.
The new road route was disclosed by AJK Transport Minister Tahir Khokher while addressing a news conference at the Kashmir Press Club here on Sunday.
Khokher said that the proposed Mirpur-Birmingham bus service would be plied from Mirpur – which has a significant population of UK-based Kashmiri expatriates – via Quetta and Tehran (Iran) to the UK.
AJK’s transport authorities are hoping that the project will facilitate over 0.70 million Britain-based Kashmiri expatriates hailing from this district. Khokher said that at the first leg of the proposed plan is to be executed by March next year. To this end, four buses of international standard will be plied on the Mirpur-Birmingham route.
The minister revealed that the fare of the proposed Mirpur-Birmingham international bus service will be around Rs20,000 per passenger.
Road safety
He announced that up-to-date mechanism was being devised, coupled with the required legislation by the AJK Legislative Assembly, in order to discourage the violation of traffic rules and regulations.
He said that new transport policy will be announced during the next session of the AJK Legislative Assembly.
He added that the new transport policy will envisage zero tolerance for over-loading and overcharging of fares in the public transport.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2011.
COMMENTS (15)
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With the developments in the aviation industry, (advanced hight tech aircrafts etc ) eg A380 super Jumbo) why not open an airport. You will fill every seat !
It's amazing that people want to move back in time. This is stupidity, a move in a wrong direction.
Whats next I wonder, maybe a rickshaw or an donkey and Cart service or if you want to do it in style, Doodwallah da cycle, Hiye ohaay Janneyeya!
everything is rubbish......................
Well since quetta is being used they wud not have to travel via afghanistan bt i think this bus trip wud be an adventure in itself i mean for 20000 rs u get to see so many countries and that wud be fun and by the way no ones forcing any1 to travel those who want can use the service and im looking forward to this i wud luv to use this service to travel to the uk one day
Total waste of time....
@sashayub: This article doesn't mention India Why do I get involved ? Pakistan Econony was growing faster for much of history whilst India was a socialist red tape basket case
Even now India has 400 million poor people and more foriegn debt than Pakistan
There are special offers with aeroplane for almost the same money. Moreover the mental and physical exertions. Once I travelled with bus from Berlin(Germany) till Malaga(South Spain) which has a distance of app. 2200 Km.......my legs and buttocks were gone dead! The distance between Islamabad and Birmingham is app. 6020 KM!!!! hehehe which other precious parts of body might go dead?
Oh god, seriously?
Hey Guys! how about LA to LA (Lines Area, khi to Los Angeles)
hahahhaha!!! come on man, u ll have to travel whole of Europe and will need a visa for so many countries, Shengen, Iran, Turkey and if they have to move to Tehran, then Afghanistan will come in between as well. Thats completely insane. there would be so many other probs as well.
Moreover, I cant think of travelling in bus in KHI after sunset, so what do u expect in Afghanistan!!
If u wanna make this successful, there is only possible solution, form a city named Mirpur near Birmingham!
People who thought of this bus idea must be totally insane!!
Hahahahhahaha dont have good services in the country and going to open the england......
@Ibrar: its your perception, this is the Kashmir Pakistan portrays..............Kashmiris on both sides have equally challenging lives...
Kashmiris in Pakistan side aer rich and prosperous while the Kashmiris in Indian side are poor. Who so?
The phrase I am thinking of at this moment rhymes with 'Clucking Bell'