From Birmingham to Kashmir, 4,000-mile long bus service planned

Birmingham, Sep 24: A new 4,000-mile bus route has been planned to take passengers from Birmingham to the city of Mirpur in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, reports Daily Mirror, London. The bus will pass through seven countries,

PTI Published : Sep 24, 2012 17:04 IST, Updated : Sep 24, 2012 17:07 IST

Birmingham's Labour MP Khalid Mahmood, whose family originate from Mirpur, said on Sunday: “It's a great idea that will bring the two cities closer together.

“I'm sure the service will prove very popular, especially with average air fares to Pakistan being about £600.”

However, there are security concerns as the bus will pass through Quetta, capital of Baluchistan, which has been wracked by violence recently.

But Transport Minister Tahir Khokher said: “I don't feel that security will be a problem. Barring one or two instances in Quetta, the overall situation is good-to-go.

“We are proposing to run four luxury buses once a fortnight. It will be a thrilling ride with particular arrangements for sightseeing, camping and restaurant visits.”