The Thar Express Link, a train that ran weekly between Jodhpur, Rajasthan to Karachi, Pakistan was suspended by India on Friday, a week after Pakistan suspended the train service. The train used to run till Munabao, following which, it would cross into Pakistan, from where the Pakistani railway services took it to its final destination of Karachi.
Reported, Abhay Sharma, chief PRO, North Western Railways said, “Services of the Thar Link Express have been suspended till further orders and the train which was supposed to leave today night has been cancelled. Around 35 passengers had booked tickets for tonight’s train”.
45 people had booked tickets to go from Jodhpur to Karachi on Friday, when the train service, to and fro, was suspended.
On August 9th, Pakistan Railway Minister had announced that the train service that day would be the last one from Karachi to Jodhpur.
In response to Pakistan’s decision to suspend bus service to India in the wake of India revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s separate status, Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) had also announced the cancellation of the Delhi to Lahore bus service from its end.
The Indian Railways had also confirmed that the Samjhauta Express running at its end of the international border will stand cancelled. This decision came in days after Pakistan suspended services on its side.
“Consequent to Pakistan’s decision to cancel Samjhauta Express 14607/14608 running between Lahore and Atari, the link express train number 14001/14002 running between Delhi and Atari also stands cancelled (sic),” Deepak Kumar, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, had said.
Islamabad had announced it was suspending the bi-weekly Samjhauta train service connecting Lahore and Delhi as part of downgrading of diplomatic ties with India in response to the full integration of Jammu & Kashmir into India