Islamabad: Pakistan has suspended the Samjhauta Express train service with India, railways minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed announced Thursday, a day after Islamabad downgraded the diplomatic ties with New Delhi.
“We have decided to suspend the Samjhuta train service,” Rashid said while addressing a press conference here. “Till I am railways minister, Samjhauta Express train service will not operate,”Rashid asserted, adding that the bogies of the train will now be used for passengers travelling on the occasion of Eid.
The Samjhauta Express train service was suspended earlier this year, due to escalating tensions between the two neighbouring countries. However, the service was later resumed.
“The next three to four months are very important. War can happen, but we do not want a war. If war is waged on us, it will be the last one,” the railways minister warned.
The minister made the announcement as passengers were waiting at the Lahore station to board the train to travel to India.
The Samjhauta Express, named after the Hindi word for ‘agreement’, comprises six sleeper coaches and an AC 3-tier coach. The train service was started July 22, 1976 under the Simla Agreement that settled the 1971 war between the two nations.
On the Indian side, the train runs from Delhi to Attari and from Lahore to Wagah on the Pakistan side.
Earlier in the day Indian crew members and guards escorted the Samjhauta Express from Wagah border to Attari after Pakistan authorities stopped the train on their side, sources said. They said that Pakistan had stopped the train at Wagah border claiming security concerns, and passengers were stranded briefly.
Sources, however said that the Pakistani crew of the train had refused to take the train past the Wagah border and into India. That is when, the Indian crew had to step in and they did so with aplomb.
“When we received the information from the Pakistani authorities at around 2:14 pm, we assured them that there are no security concerns and the train should come here. However, we also told them that if necessary an Indian crew and guard will escort the train to Attari,” a senior railway official told this agency.
As per the latest information, the Indian crew had moved the train from Wagah and it has already arrived at Attari.
Agencies