ISLAMABAD India-bound Pakistani passengers prefer to travel by Indian buses rather than their own countrys buses primarily because of their poor condition, which causes loss to the national exchequer. Most of the time these passengers avoid availing the countrys service and prefer to travel by Indian vehicles from both sides, TheNation has learnt. It may be mentioned here that in order to promote road travelling between Pakistan and India, the bus service between Lahore (Pakistan) and Delhi (India) was started on 16th March 1999 under an agreement between the two countries. The service reportedly was suspended on December 2001 and restored in July 2003 and within three years two more buses between the countries including Lahore-Amritsar and Nankana Sahib-Amritsar was started. Sources said that earlier the ratio of passengers from both sides was almost same but with the passage of time the number of Pakistani travellers kept on decreasing. Primarily, the condition of buses is believed to be the main reason, as Pakistani passengers prefer Indian buses because of their condition, they said. The buses from both sides are functioning according to the schedule, as Pakistani bus service remains functional for three days in a week and remaining three days with one day break Indian side vehicles are run on the route. When contacted, Federal Minister for Tourism Atta-ur-Rahman confirmed that most of the passengers from Pakistan preferred Indian vehicles due to poor state of the own countrys buses conditions. The Ministry have forwarded a summary to the Prime Minister demanding Rs 200 million for PTDC, it would be fruitful for the country in term of tourism and trade if approved, the Minister informed. Atta-ur-Rahman said that the number of Pakistani passengers had decreased, as Pakistani passengers usually prefer Indian service.