Thar Exp leaves for Khokhrapar with 485 Pak-bound passengers

Jodhpur, Mar 8 (UNI) Thar Express left for Khokhrapar in Pakistan from Bhagat ki Kothi station here early today with 485 Pakistan-bound passengers on board, a Northwestern Railway spokesman said.

Among the passengers 202 are Indians.

The weekly train which till last Saturday used to go up to Munabao station had now been extended up to Khokhrapar. This arrangement would continue for next six months, the spokesman said.

As per the bilateral agreement between India and Pakistan, the train service between Jodhpur and Karachi via Munabao in Barmer and Khokhrapar in Pakistan operates from both the sides for a period of six months each.

Munabao is the last railway station on this side of the border while Khokhrapar is the first station in Pakistan.

By now, the train run by NW Railway used to run between Jodhpur and Munabao while the train from Karachi crossed the border to reach up to Munabao. Both the trains would then exchange passengers at Munabao for further journey to their respective destinations.

The train leaves Jodhpur on Saturday with Pakistan-bound passengers and returns on Sunday.

UNI SS SW KN1640