Pak Rly Minister rules out suspension of services with India

Islamabad, Feb 19 (UNI) Pakistan Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad today ruled out the suspension of train services between India and Pakistan in the wake of the blasts in the Samjhauta Express, and said such incidents cannot disrupt the composite dialogue process between the two countries.

Addressing a press conference, Mr Ahmad said of the 757 passengers, who were on board the train, 553 were Pakistanis.

''We have asked the Indian authorities to provide a list of the Pakistani passengers travelling on the train,'' he said.

The Minister said emergency had been declared at the Lahore railway station following the blasts in the train at Diwana in Haryana which claimed over 65 lives and left several injured.

The train service was set up on July 22, 1976 following the Shimla Agreement. The train runs between Delhi and Attari in India and Wagah and Lahore in Pakistan.

Passengers, who alight at Wagah station, are taken to Lahore on a train of the Pakistan railways. The Samjhauta Express returns with India-bound passengers who then board the train to New Delhi from Attari.

This was the only rail connection between the two countries until the reopening of the Thar Express.

UNI