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Passengers don't want Samjhauta Express to be cancelled

The fear of cancellation of the Samjhauta Express, which shuttles between Lahore and Attari, has caused panic among Indians and Pakistanis who have crossed the border.

A large number of Indians cut short their stay in Pakistan and arrived at this border railway station from Lahore yesterday. Likewise, Pakistan nationals too cut short their stay in India and boarded the same train on its return journey to Lahore.

When the bi-weekly train arrived from Lahore, all bogies were virtually jam-packed, with a majority of the passengers being Indians. Pakistan Railway had attached two additional bogies to cope with the rush of panic-stricken Indians following threats by the Pakistan government that it would cancel the Samjhauta Express from April 15.

Meanwhile, a team of Indian railway officials led by M N Chopra, executive director, Railway Board, New Delhi, arrived at Amritsar yesterday for participating in a meeting with their Pakistani counterparts to find an amicable solution to this problem. The meeting will be held today at the Wagah road joint check-post.

People of both the countries are opposing the proposed cancellation of the train as it would cause immense hardships to those wanting to visit the neighbouring country but cannot afford the expensive air or bus travel. A number of passengers who arrived by the Samjhauta Express yesterday said both the governments should respect the Simla Agreement under which this train was started.

Begum Jameel Akhtar, who hails from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh and was married to Akhtar of Karachi in 1992, said if the train services were stopped, she would have no alternative land route to meet her parents. ''I have come here with my husband and two children on the mercy of god and we are hopeful that it (train) will not be stopped,'' she said.

According to her, the bus service from Delhi to Lahore was too costly and moreover, if rail services were cut off then the fate of bus services will also be doubtful.

Rana Zamil of Delhi, who rushed back from Karachi following media reports that Samjhauta Express may be cancelled on April 15, said he had gone there to attend a marriage of his cousin but due to tension and apprehensions he preferred to return home. Tension was quite evident as a majority of the passengers had cut short their scheduled programme.

A majority of the passengers also complained about the delay in issuance of visa for India from Islamabad. But even then they advocated that the train should run as per schedule and should not be stopped.

UNI

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