Islamabad halts Thar Express train services
After suspending the Samjhauta Express, Pakistan has also reportedly cancelled the run of the Thar Express, inviting strong reaction from India, which termed the decision “unfortunate” and asked Islamabad to accept the changed reality following the abrogation of Article 370 that had given special status to Jammu & Kashmir.
Making India’s stand clear, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said steps have been taken keeping in mind the best interests of Jammu & Kashmir. He asserted Pakistan’s efforts to link peace deal with Kashmir issue have not worked.
“There is a feeling that Pakistan is nervous over India’s initiative in Jammu & Kashmir,” Kumar said, adding, “Pakistan thinks it will not be able to mislead people if there is development in Jammu & Kashmir,” he said. Kumar also said Pakistan suspending the Samjhauta Express was a unilateral move, which was unfortunate.
Pakistan should accept reality and stop meddling in India’s internal affairs, he said, adding, India has also reached out to other nations to explain its stand on Kashmir. This response came after Pakistan on Wednesday announced downgrading of diplomatic ties with India and suspending bilateral trade.
The External Affairs Ministry on Thursday had asked Pakistan to review its decision to downgrade diplomatic and trade ties after its decisions on Kashmir. On Wednesday, Pakistan had expelled the Indian envoy in Islamabad and had announced a five-point plan that included downgrading its ties with India and suspending bilateral trade.
The intention behind Pakistan’s measures “is obviously to present an alarming picture to the world of our bilateral ties,” said the External Affairs Ministry statement. The reasons cited by Pakistan are not supported by facts on the ground, the Government said.
“The recent developments pertaining to Article 370 are entirely the internal affair of India. The Constitution of India was, is and will always be a sovereign matter. Seeking to interfere in that jurisdiction by invoking an alarmist vision of the region will never succeed,” the Government said.
Meanwhile, after the disruption of the Samjhauta Express service at Wagah border in Punjab, there were reports on Friday that Pakistan has also suspended Thar Express, which links India and Pakistan across the Rajasthan border. The train has been running between Jodhpur’s Bhagat ki Kothi station to Karachi every Friday night since services resumed on February 18, 2006 after a 41-year suspension.
Though there was no official word to North Western Railway’s Jodhpur division on any cancellation, there were reports that Pakistan has suspended the Thar Express. “We have not received any communication or information from any side till now regarding the Thar Express. As per the current information, it will depart as scheduled today,” Jodhpur division spokesperson Gopal Sharma said.
Since its resumption, the Thar Express too has been popular with people visiting families across the border, and according to an estimate, over four lakh passengers have taken the train in the past 13 years.
Though the Samjhauta Express was briefly suspended after the Balakot strike, Thar Express continued unaffected.