Pakistan said on Thursday it would suspend a rail service linking it to India, as relations with its neighbour continue to sour over the Kashmir region.
We have decided to shut down Samjhauta Express, Pakistan’s Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed told a news conference on Thursday, in reference to the train running to New Delhi from Lahore.
As long as I am railways minister, Samjhauta Express can’t operate, he added.
Confirming the development, sources in Indian Railway told PTI that the Delhi-bound train has been stopped at Wagah border.
“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 PTI.
As per the latest information, the Indian crew had moved the train from Wagah and it is expected to arrive at Attari shortly.
There are about 110 passengers coming to India from Pakistan, a Northern Railway official said.
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.