August 9, 2019
In an act of retaliation against India’s move to end special status to
Kashmir, Pakistan has shut down the Samjhauta Express.
Passengers on the train coming from Pakistan’s Lahore had to wait for nearly
three hours at the Wagah border on Thursday after Pakistan declared it was
shutting down the train service as part of its measures against the Indian
government’s decision on Jammu and Kashmir.
We have decided to shut down Samjhauta Express. As long as I am Railways
Minister, Samjhauta Express can’t operate. – Sheikh Rasheed,
Railways Minister, Pakistan
When the train reached Wagah at the border at 1 PM, the Pakistani crew
stopped and refused to go any further. They demanded that the Indian crew
should come and drive it across the Indian territory. After nearly three
hours an Indian team took charge and the train started on its way to Attari.
On Wednesday Pakistan expelled the Indian envoy in Islamabad Ajay
Bisaria and announced a five-point plan that included a downgrade of
its ties with India and suspension of bilateral trade. It also plans to
appeal to the United Nations Security Council over the
issue.
India has asked Pakistan to review its decision.”We have seen reports that
Pakistan has decided to take certain unilateral actions in respect to its
bilateral relations with India,” said a Foreign Ministry
spokesperson. “The intention behind Pakistan’s measures is obviously to
present an alarming picture to the world of our bilateral ties”.
India says the reasons given by Pakistan are not supported by the ground
realities.
Source: https://newzhook.com/story/pakistan-shuts-down-samjhauta-express
