Pakistani family loses four children to blast

New Delhi, Feb 19 (UNI) For Pakistani couple Shaukat Ali and his wife Ruksana, seriously injured in the Samjhauta Express blasts early today, the memories of their second visit to India will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

They lost their four children -- two girls and two boys -- in the blast and their remaining child -- one-year-old daughter, Aksa -- is battling for life in Safdarjung hospital here.

Aksa and her parents, returning to Pakistan after a 20-day vacation, sustained major burn injuries in the explosion which ripped through two bogies of the Pakistan-bound train at Shiva Village under Chandni Bagh police station in Panipat district at around 0100 hrs.

The family, hailing from Faisalabad in Pakistan's Punjab province, was visiting India after a gap of five years to call on an ailing relative.

''My sister's family has been completely destroyed.... This is a nightmare. They were innocent innocent people what was their fault,'' said a distraught Haji Kale Khan, Ruksana's brother.

''They were here to meet the extended family but now they are battling for life,'' said Khan, who was informed about the incident on phone by the hospital authorities.

Khan, who was allowed to meet his sister and brother-in-law after a long wait at the hospital, said both the patients were inconsolable.

''I had nothing to say to both of them.... no words can express their loss. Now they are only bothered about Aksa,'' he said.

The Ali family, like other passengers in train, were asleep at the time of the blasts and made an unsuccessful attempt to escape the furnace.

''She told me they were asleep when the blast occurred.... they tried to escape but in vain.... I can't even imagine the pain they would have gone through,'' said an anguished Khan.

Demanding stringent punishment for the people responsible for the attack, an angry Khan said the lives of innocent people should be protected.

''The government must ensure that the innocent people are protected.... That responsibility lies with the government,'' he said.

At least 66 people were killed and 13 others injured in blasts followed by fire in two bogies of the Delhi-Attari Samjhauta Express.

Many of those killed were Pakistani nationals returning home after meeting relatives in India.

The bogies were separated from the train after the fire was extinguished by fire tenders from the district and the Indian Oil refinery.

After separation of the two bogies, the train, which was going from Delhi to Attari, left for its destination at about 0300 hours.

UNI