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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Birmingham to Pakistan bus route launch delayed | Birmingham to Pakistan bus route launch delayed |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Plans for a bus service between Birmingham and Pakistan have been delayed because of problems over transit permits. | Plans for a bus service between Birmingham and Pakistan have been delayed because of problems over transit permits. |
| The 4,000-mile (6,400km) route to Mirpur runs through Iran, Turkey and near the Afghan border. | |
| The service is being set up by the transport minister for Pakistan-administered Kashmir. | The service is being set up by the transport minister for Pakistan-administered Kashmir. |
| The route includes stopovers in Quetta, near the Afghan border, and in the Iranian capital, Tehran. | The route includes stopovers in Quetta, near the Afghan border, and in the Iranian capital, Tehran. |
| Tickets for the 12-day journey are expected to cost £130 each. | Tickets for the 12-day journey are expected to cost £130 each. |
| The Mirpur region's transport chief, Tahir Khokher, said the service should be running "in three to four weeks". | The Mirpur region's transport chief, Tahir Khokher, said the service should be running "in three to four weeks". |
| Risks 'exaggerated' | Risks 'exaggerated' |
| Mr Khokher said: "I am talking to the various embassies - hopefully in three to four weeks, once these issues are ironed out, we can announced a schedule." | Mr Khokher said: "I am talking to the various embassies - hopefully in three to four weeks, once these issues are ironed out, we can announced a schedule." |
| However there are security concerns in the region. | However there are security concerns in the region. |
| The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office has advised British nationals against all travel to Iran and all but essential travel to Quetta. | The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office has advised British nationals against all travel to Iran and all but essential travel to Quetta. |
| Mr Khokher said the risks were exaggerated and insisted the service will go ahead. | Mr Khokher said the risks were exaggerated and insisted the service will go ahead. |
| Birmingham is home to the world's largest population of Kashmiri expatriates, many having emigrated from Mirpur in the 1960s after being displaced by the building of a dam. | Birmingham is home to the world's largest population of Kashmiri expatriates, many having emigrated from Mirpur in the 1960s after being displaced by the building of a dam. |
| Mirpur has been called "Little Birmingham" because of the close family and cultural ties between the two regions. | Mirpur has been called "Little Birmingham" because of the close family and cultural ties between the two regions. |