Fears of train cancellation trigger panic

ATTARI (Amritsar), APRIL 14. The fear of cancellation of the Samjhauta Express, which shuttles between Lahore and Attari, has caused panic among the Indians who had gone to visit Pakistan and Pakistanis who had come to this country.

A large number of Indians cut short their stay 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 jampacked, a majority of the passengers being Indians. The Pakistan railway had attached two additional bogies to cope with the rush of panic-stricken Indian visitors following threats by the Pakistan Government that it would cancel the Samjhauta Express from April 15.

People of both the countries are opposing the cancellation as it would cause hardship to those wanting to visit the neighbouring country but cannot afford the expensive air or bus travel. Talking to UNI, a number of passengers who arrived here by the Samjhauta Express yesterday said that both the Governments should respect the Shimla agreement under which this train was started.

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

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : National
Previous : Rushdie steals the show
Next     : Anti-China remarks countered by envoy