PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has started efforts to revive the ‘Dosti’ bus service from Peshawar to Jalalabad, Afghanistan.
The commissioner Peshawar Riaz Khan Mehsud on 4 January informed the media about the decision, saying that tender will be issued on 14 January to hire the services of Bus Company. He added that under the project 40 buses will transport passengers between Jalalabad and Peshawar.
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Mehsud issued instructions to the district administration and police administration of Peshawar and Khyber districts to formulate a safety plan to ensure the protection of passengers.
‘Dosti’ bus service was stopped in 2016, after the deteriorating law and order situation.
Commissioner Peshawar said that once the bus service is activated, the immigration authorities will be able to check the documents of the passengers and other facilities will be provided at the bus stands in Peshawar so that the passengers do not face any problem. “A standard company will be hired to start Dosti bus service, all buses will have 45 seats, security guards and zero meter buses will be operated by the company to ensure the success of Peshawar to Jalalabad bus service,” the commissioner said.
In December 2021, an Afghan delegation led by Afghan Interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited Pakistan and met with Pakistani officials in which the resumption of bus service was also discussed. At the request of the Afghan delegation, Pakistan has assured the resumption of the bus service.