A day after Pakistan suspended the bilateral trade ties with India, it showed more aggression by halting the rail services of Samjhauta Express at the Attari border. After unlacing the ties with Indian in trade and commerce, the decision made bilateral relation more volatile.
Following the Indian government’s move on Article 370 and 35A, Pakistan made it clear that the rail services have been permanently stopped. After the 1971 war, the two countries reached an agreement to operate the rail services from Delhi to Lahore, which followed the Shimla Accord. Since then from 1978, the rail services became active. But tension has built on the Pak side as the Modi government went ahead scrapping the Article 370 and bifurcating Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir into Union territories.
Reacting on this, the Railway Minister of Pakistan stated, “As long as I am Railway Minister, Samjahuta Express can’t operate. In a decision by the Railway Ministry, Samjhauta Express services has been permanently stopped. It used to ply twice a week. The people who had already purchased their tickets cab get their money reimbursed from Lahore DS office.”
The incident is not finished here, Pakistan even refused to send it train driver and guard to return with the Samjhauta Express, which had made fearful situation among passengers, who were returning from Lahore. The Attari International Railway Superintendent Arvind Kumar Gupta said that India would have to send a drive, guard along engine to bring back the train. As per schedule the train had departed from Lahore at 9.30 IST with more than 60 peoples on board and had reached Attari border at near about 1.30 PM. Since then it is stationed at Attari and waiting for Indian Railways action.
The move by Islamabad comes in the aftermath on the revoking Article 370 and 35A by the BJP led Central Government that provided special rights and status to Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile after revoking Article 370 and 35A from valley and bifurcating it into two Union territories as Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh, Islamabad has untied all the diplomatic relations with New Delhi. The decision has been taken after the meeting, Chaired by Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan. The neighbouring country also terminated the service of Indian High Commissioner and asked him to return to India.
Islamabad also partially suspended its air space for Indian Civil Airlines. Last time after Pulwama aftermath the service of Samjhauta Express was suspended for few days.
