Qadian, December 23
Maqbool Ahmed, a journalist hailing from this town which is the international headquarters of Ahmediya Muslims, was engaged to a Pakistani girl and the marriage was scheduled to take place next month. However, the marriage would have to be postponed as the Indian Government has decided to snap road and rail link with Pakistan from January 1.

The case of Ahmed is not an isolated one. Many marriages which were arranged between residents of the two countries will stand postponed when the Samjhauta Express and the Lahore-Delhi bus will come to a halt.

The train, which is used every year by more than 1 lakh Indians and Pakistanis, especially poor Muslims, had contributed to establish nuptial ties between people of the two countries. Many girls and boys, especially from Qadian and Muslim-dominated Malerkotla, were married in Pakistan. Many persons who had not migrated at the time of Partition were able to establish links through the Samjhauta Express.

Though the suspension of the Samjhauta Express and the Lahore-Delhi bus service has come as a great shock to members of the Muslim community, most of them approached by Tribune News Service have supported the decision of the Indian Government. Munawar said though he had most of his relatives in Pakistan, he was in favour of the decision.

We are patriotic people and Indian Ahmediyas will have to watch the interests of this country first.” However, Mohammad Akram admitted that the suspension of the Samjhauta Express was a great setback. He said the Ahmediya Muslims, who were hated in Pakistan, always wanted peace and tranquillity in the subcontinent. “We pray to allah to help in defusing the heightened tension prevailing in the region”, he said.

According to Lukman, “it is enshrined in the Islamic teachings that one should love his country and hence every citizen of this town would endorse whatever decision is taken by India.”