India announces cancellation of Samjhauta Express to Pakistan

Indian Railways on Sunday announced the cancellation of Samjhauta Express between Delhi and Atari following Pakistan's decision to suspend the train's operation on its side.

"In consequence to Pakistan's decision to cancel the Samjhauta Express 14607/14608 running between Lahore and Atari... the Samjhauta link Express train number 14001/14002 running between Delhi and Atari also stands cancelled," said Deepak Kumar, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), Northern Railways.

The development comes after Pakistan Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad on Saturday rejected India's request to review the decision of closing down the operations of the Samjhauta and Thar Express trains, saying that the services will not resume till the time he holds the post.

"Though a final decision will be taken by the Foreign Office over the request to review the closure of the trains, I reject India's request. And till the time I remain the minister for railways, there would be no operation of the Samjhauta and Thar Express trains," he said at a press conference at the Pakistan Railways headquarters here.

The Samjhauta Express has been a bi-weekly train between Delhi via Attari border to Lahore in Pakistan since 1976 after the Simla Agreement between the two countries was signed in 1972.

The last time the operation of the Samjhauta Express was suspended was on February 28 following the Pulwama terror attack by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed killing 40 CRPF jawans on February 14. But it was resumed shortly thereafter.

( With inputs from ANI )