ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad on Thursday announced to suspend Samjhauta Express, a bi-weekly train which runs between Delhi & Attari in India and Lahore in Pakistan, the Dispatch News Desk (DND) news agency reported.
While addressing a Press Conference in Islamabad, the railways minister denounced the illegal act of the Indian government of revoking the Jammu and Kashmir’s Special Status, and said that it was part of the well-though conspiracy.
The minister said that India has nefarious designs for Pakistan which would further endanger the regional peace and security.
مودی کی سیاست لال چوک سری نگر میں ختم ہوگی،
جب تک میں وزیر ریلوے ہوں سمجھوتا ایکسپریس نہیں چل سکتی،— Sheikh Rashid Ahmad (@ShkhRasheed) August 8, 2019
پاکستان جنگ نہیں چاہتا ، امن کے خواہاں ہیں
کشمیریوں پر ہونے والے مظالم پر خاموش نہیں رہ سکتے
بھارت نے جو کچھ کیا یہ سوچی سمجھی سازش ہے اور اس پر خاموش نہیں رہا جا سکتا— Sheikh Rashid Ahmad (@ShkhRasheed) August 8, 2019
Sheikh Rasheed warned that the ongoing year could face hazards, and even a war is not unlikely. He said that Pakistan doesn’t want a war with India but it can’t remain as a silent spectator over the atrocities committed by New Delhi in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He said that if a war is inflicted upon Pakistan, it would turn out to be decisive one.
Pakistan also decides to shutdown Thar Express
Meanwhile, in another Press Conference held in Islamabad a day after (Friday), Sheikh Rasheed also announced to shut down Thar Express, another passenger train which runs between Jodhpur in India and Karachi in Pakistan.
The railways minister said that Thar Express will be shutdown at 12:00 am (midnight) today while Samjhauta Express will cease to run from tomorrow (Saturday). He said that only one train will be plied between Mirpur and Zero Point.
The tension between two arch-rivals Pakistan and India has once again been heightened after New Delhi repealed the Special Status of its Occupied Kashmir, reportedly used cluster bombs against civilian population in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and continuously violating the ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LoC).
Pakistan expelled the Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria, and also barred its High Commissioner-designate to go to New Delhi.
When Samjhauta Express started
The Samjhauta Express is the only train link between India and Pakistan. The train service was first launched on July 22, 1976 and initially ran between Amritsar (India) and Lahore (Pakistan). It was a daily train when the service started, and changed to a bi-weekly schedule in 1994.
In the 41 years of its history, the bi-weekly train was discontinued a number of times.
