Undeterred by Wednesday's attack on Srinagar's Tourist Reception Centre, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will travel to Srinagar on Thursday to flag off the inaugural Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus.
Also see: Ultras attack Tourist Centre in Srinagar
Passengers scheduled to take the bus to Muzaffarabad were lodged at the tourist centre. They were all evacuated safely as the building caught fire.
The prime minister will be accompanied by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh.
Describing the militant attack in Srinagar as "unfortunate", Dr Singh said the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service will be
flagged off on Thursday.
Also see: It was an attack waiting to happen
"It is an unfortunate incident. These are desperate acts of desperate people. There is no change with regard to the flagging off of the bus service. The peace process [with Pakistan] and the journey of peace will go on," PMO spokesman Dr Sanjaya Baru quoted the prime minister as saying.
In Srinagar, Governor S K Sinha too made it clear that the inaugural bus will run.
Ruling People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti said the Kashmiris will not be deterred by terrorist attacks.
Also see:
Four militant outfits claim responsibility for blast
Pakistan condemns Srinagar attack
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