Pakistan condemns deadly train attack

Islamabad, Feb 19 (UNI) Pakistan has strongly condemned the terror attack on the Attari-bound Samjhauta Express that took at least 70 lives, most of them Pakistanis, and said terrorism could not impede the improvement of bilateral relations.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, who is scheduled to visit New Delhi for talks with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee, condemning the attack said it was the worst incident of terrorism.

He told reporters here that Islamabad is waiting for India's response to its request for a detailed investigation into the incident.

''We have also asked our High Commission staff in New Delhi to visit the site of the incident to evaluate the losses,'' Mr Kasuri added.

Pakistan's Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said such incidents cannot disrupt the composite dialogue process between the two nations.

He said emergency has been declared at Lahore Railway station.

'' We have asked Indian authorities to provide a list of Pakistani passengers travelling on the Samjhauta Express,'' he said while speaking to newspersons.

The Attari-bound train caught fire around midnight near Panipat, north of New Delhi, after a series of blasts were reported.

UNI