Pakistan suspends Samjhauta Express train service with India; railway minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed says it will not operate till he holds post

Islamabad: Pakistan has closed the Samjhauta Express train service with India, Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Thursday, a day after Islamabad downgraded the diplomatic ties with New Delhi. [caption id=“attachment_6193031” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of the Samjhauta Express. Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Addressing a press conference, Rashid said the bogies of the Samjhauta Express will now be used for passengers travelling on the occasion of Eid. “Till I am Railways minister, Samjhauta Express train service will not operate,” he was quoted as saying by the Geo TV. The Samjhauta Express train service was suspended earlier this year, due to escalating tensions between the two neighbouring countries. However, the service was later resumed. The Samjhauta Express, named after the Hindi word for “agreement”, comprises six sleeper coaches and an AC 3-tier coach. The train service was started on 22 July, 1976 under the Simla Agreement that settled the 1971 war between the two nations. On the Indian side, the train runs from Delhi to Attari and from Lahore to Wagah on the Pakistan side.