Pakistan suspends services of Samjhauta Express
Pakistan has closed the Samjhauta Express train service with India, Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Thursday, a day after Islamabad downgraded the diplomatic ties with New Delhi.
The Samjhauta Express was stopped midway at Wagah Border, on Thursday morning, and several passengers were left stranded in the locomotive. The train later reached its destination at around 5 pm.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Rasheed said the bogies of the Samjhauta Express will now be used for passengers travelling on the occasion of Eid.
"Till I am Railways minister, Samjhauta Express train service will not operate," he was quoted as saying by the Geo TV.
The development comes after the Indian government scrapped Article 370 that gave a special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
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 Samjhauta Express, named after the Hindi word for "agreement", comprises six sleeper coaches and an AC 3-tier coach. The train service was started on 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.
HIGHLIGHTS
17:45 | Pakistan is ready to review its decision against India if New Delhi agreed to reconsider its actions on Kashmir, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Thursday.
"Are they ready to review their decisions? If they do, we can also review our decisions. Review will be on both sides. That is what Simla (agreement) says," Qureshi said.
17:40 | India will not suspend Samjhauta Express, says MEA
17:15 | Samjhauta Express reaches its destination
Northern Railway spokesperson Deepak Kumar told IANS: "An engine with the loco-pilot and other crew members were sent to Wagah border. The train left from Wagah (Pakistan) border after the security and custom clearance from the local authorities there and arrived at the Attari station at 5.15 pm."
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Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistan had closed a corridor in its airspace, which will result in an additional up to 12 minutes of flying time for overseas flights, an Air India official said on Wednesday.
Following the Balakot airstrike, Pakistan had closed its airspace on February 26 and it was fully reopened on July 16.
Pakistan on Wednesday also expelled Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria, minutes after it decided to downgrade the diplomatic ties with India over what it called New Delhi's "unilateral and illegal" move to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had chaired a crucial meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), attended by top civil and military leadership.
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Video: Pakistan suspends services of Samjhauta Express
