Islamabad, Oct 23: Pakistan today began consultations within various government departments on the series of offers made by India to normalise bilateral ties before formulating a formal response, even as top Kashmiri politicians cautiously welcomed the proposal of a bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad in PoK. Ministries of interior, transport, fisheries and foreign affairs, were involved in the consultations on the proposals, sources here said.

Pakistan wants to carefully weigh pros and cons before it reacts to the Srinagar-Muzafarabad bus service, they said. Pakistan officials admit that an agreement to run a bus service connecting the two sides of Kashmir could lead to softening the Line of Control, (LoC) and may open the flood gates of migration.

Also Pakistan has to evaluate the impact of such a bus service on militant groups as well as PoK-based political parties, they said.

Reacting to the proposal, former Prime Minister and President of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan said it was "welcome" if aimed at bringing Kashmiris on both sides closer.