Pakistan expresses concern over cancellation of Samjhota Express operation

FO spokesperson says Acting deputy high commissioner of India was summoned

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan expressed on Friday grave concern over the cancellation of operation of Samjhota Express a day earlier by the Indian government.

“The Acting Deputy High Commissioner of India Raghuram was summoned to the Foreign Office by Dr Mohammad Faisal, Director General (South Asia), to express concern over the cancellation of operation of Samjhota Express on October 8, 2015,” FO spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah said.

Read: Pakistan questions India’s secular credentials

The FO spokesperson claimed that the cancellation caused inconvenience to more than 200 passengers from both the countries. “The government of Pakistan has taken all necessary steps to accommodate the stranded Indian passengers who were not permitted to cross the border yesterday,” he said.

Demanding a timely redressal of the issue, the Foreign Office advised the Indian side to make appropriate efforts to avoid any such incident in the future. “We expect the Indian side to make utmost efforts to avoid recurrence of such incidents in future and facilitate the travellers from Pakistan and India,” the statement said.

The Delhi-bound Samjotha Express was called back from Wagah Border on Thursday after Indian authorities cautioned their Pakistani counterparts of farmers’ protests in the Indian Punjab. The train carrying passengers from both sides of the border was offloaded upon reaching Wagah.

Read: Delhi-bound Samjotha Express called back from Wagah border amid farmers' protest

Indian authorities had requested the train to be halted amid security concerns as the Delhi-Attari train, ferrying passengers to the border station, could not reach its destination due to the protests.

The Samjhota Express, one of the two active rails links between the two countries, was bombed in February, 2007, resulting in the death of 42 people.

In 2011, Hindu extremist leader Swami Aseemanand had confessed that he was involved in several bombing incidents and also claimed to have been a part of the Samjhota Express train bombing. Earlier, this year Pakistan protested against India’s recent decision not to oppose bail for the prime accused in the case.