200 aboard Samjhauta Express affected due to farmers'' stir

Lahore, October 8

About 200 Indian and Pakistani passengers of Samjhauta Express were today stranded at the Wagah railway station for over five hours after Indian authorities apparently did not allow it to leave for Attari because of the farmers' protest on rail tracks in Punjab.

A Pakistan Railways spokesman said the Samjhauta Express, which ferries passengers from Pakistan on Mondays and Thursdays, would now leave for Attari on Monday.

He said: “The Indian counterparts told us that owing to farmers' protest on railway tracks at its side, the Samjhauta Express couldn't be allowed to leave for its destination."

Samjhauta Express was scheduled to leave from Lahore to Attari this morning and after reaching Wagah, the passengers, mostly Indians, went through the immigration process as usual.

“Before the 'Friendship Train' was signalled to leave for its destination, the Pakistan Railways officials told us that they were not getting permission from India to enter there because of farmers' protest on the railway tracks,” passenger Rizwan Ahmad, who hails from Sindh, told PTI.

He said the railway officials further told them that they should wait till a 'final word' from their counterparts is received.

“After some two hours, we were told that they should go back home as the train would now leave for Attari on coming Monday," he said, adding none of the passengers was ready to return as there was a confusion over departure of Indian passengers.

"None of us was ready to leave after learning that the Indian authorities had permitted their nationals to come.

"We told the railway officials that we would also go if the Indians were allowed to proceed on the Samjhauta Express," he said.

However, after the authorities assured them that none of the passengers was leaving for India, they boarded the train back to Lahore Railway Station.

"Now those who have come from Sindh will have to either stay here at their relatives house or in a hotel," Ahmad said. — PTI