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LAHORE: The Delhi-bound Samjhota Express, carrying both Indian and Pakistani passengers, was called back from the Wagah border to the Lahore Railway Station after Indian authorities cautioned their Pakistani counterparts of disruptive farmers protests in Indian Punjab province.
Railway officials will issue certificates to allow the Indian nationals, whose visas to visit Pakistan are set to expire, to extend their stay in the country till Monday.
The certificates are being issued as part of special arrangements to facilitate the Indian visitors who have had to stay back due to the calling back of the train
Earlier, Pakistan Railways spokesman Rauf Tahir said the train carrying 193 passengers ─ both Indian and Pakistani nationals ─ was stopped upon reaching the Wagah border and 57 Pakistani passengers were requested to offload from the train.
A local daily quoting the stationmaster at Wagah said there were 215 passengers on board.
Indian farmers demanding compensation for the destruction of their cotton crop by whitefly have stopped a number of trains in Indian Punjab in protest, the Hindustan Times reported.
Senior CNN IBN correspondent Jyoti Kamal while speaking to DawnNews said the disruptions have made train movements uncertain, and Pakistani passengers who cross the border may experience difficulty reaching their destination, Indian security agencies had cautioned.
The Pakistan Railways spokesman said the train will now depart for Delhi on Monday.
Foreign Office spokesman Qazi Khalilullah said Pakistan is looking into the matter.
In February 2007, alleged Hindu extremists bombed the Samjhota Express, killing 68 people, 42 of whom were Pakistanis.
The Government of Pakistan earlier this year protested Indian's recent decision not to oppose bail for the prime accused in the case.
“The Government of Pakistan expects India to take steps to bring to justice all those involved in the heinous act of terrorism on the Samjhota Express," the Pakistan foreign ministry said.
Also read: India not to challenge bail of Samjhauta blasts accused
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (49) Closed
Oct 08, 2015 03:24pm
Good Decision by India,
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Oct 08, 2015 03:25pm
Only 193 passengers in a train, not financial burden? This train can be utilized for tourists / students visit to both countries for a week's time to have people to people contact and have good relationship.
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Oct 08, 2015 03:32pm
I think this train needs to be stopped. Let both country do there own business.
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Oct 08, 2015 03:36pm
RAW / Modi to be blamed.
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Oct 08, 2015 03:47pm
Good decision... stop the train once for all, its not serving the purpose for which its run..
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Oct 08, 2015 03:47pm
What is so abnormal about this? Isnt this common in South Asia.
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Oct 08, 2015 04:10pm
This is a good precautionary measure, if the train still goes on Monday. Otherwise, dirty politics definitely involved.
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Oct 08, 2015 04:15pm
Some one should listen to angry India farmers, they need help. Stopping trains is not the answers, may be carrying their farmer bothers.
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Oct 08, 2015 04:16pm
12 farmers or 14 committed suicide because of Indian government corruption and policies towards farmers
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Oct 08, 2015 04:24pm
@deva pls ask those people who are divided into two countries, one brother here in Pakistan and other there in India. Don't always think about Kashmir point of view.
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Oct 08, 2015 04:24pm
@Hindutavi Rakshas In UP alone 3500 farmers committed suicide this year. Google search about it. About 200,000(2 lacs) farmers committed suicide in the last few years because of accumulated bad debts, ruined crops and other issues in India...a human catastrophe.
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Oct 08, 2015 04:29pm
India is becoming extreme nation. I honestly thought India was way ahead of pakistan but after their new government I think Pakistan is much mature when it comes to government,politics n military our leaders along with public are very mature while THIS is not the case in India. Pakistan Zindabad
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Oct 08, 2015 04:38pm
@Hindutavi Rakshas let these farmer live they work hard and you put Financial burden can any body help .God bless
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Oct 08, 2015 04:40pm
This is despicable on part of Indians. The killers of passenger in bombed Samjhota express have not been punished. Pakistan should push Indian authorities for justice or ask the Indians to shut up about Bombay hotel attack.
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Oct 08, 2015 04:43pm
Nothing works right with India since Modi became PM. Stop every kind of contact with them. We are much happy without them.
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Oct 08, 2015 04:45pm
better safe than sorry!
If Indian authorities are not sure for the safety of the passengers then its good decision.
We still have to see any punishment to terrorists who attacked train in 2007 that killed so many people. to top it up exit doors were locked from outside so many couldnt take the exit and burnt alive!
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Oct 08, 2015 04:45pm
I thought that this venture really helps bring two peoples together. The real problem is the policies followed in both countries of presenting the other in a negative frame. Hate is being down in the minds of the children and they grow with it. Only if a little bit of tolerance is instilled in the people, the sub-continent would be a pride for the world.
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Oct 08, 2015 04:47pm
Farmers are blocking the trains. 33 trains from Punjab have been cancelled. Nothing to do with Pakistan
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Oct 08, 2015 04:52pm
@SAEED PK We being kashmiris even dont want you both to interfere . we dont belong to both so lets decide our fate. Your issues are our hurdles and dont serve our purpose
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Oct 08, 2015 04:58pm
@Jawad pak "India is becoming extreme nation."
Indian farmers protest against Indian government. India takes steps to ensure Pakistani travelers do not suffer. This makes India an "extreme nation"?
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Oct 08, 2015 05:00pm
@Asgher Ali,can you take your personal car either side of the border ?
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Oct 08, 2015 05:08pm
@Kamal Pasha Thank you very much....hope this comes to be true.
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Oct 08, 2015 05:14pm
The punjab farmers protest are serious one
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Oct 08, 2015 05:18pm
The farmers protests is the main headline of todays Times of India. This whole issue has snowballed into major political dilemma. The farmers are right. The main reason was sale of fake pesticides to farmers that did not work. A director of agriculture deptt. has been arrested along with many pesticide sellers. I guess railways's decision was right. Stopping and harassing the international travelers could become a publicity creating action for farmers.
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Oct 08, 2015 05:29pm
@Jawad pak
Well said.
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Oct 08, 2015 05:38pm
It has become disruptivocracy not democracy , this is is the 5 time in last 40 days Rail Roko - has been enforced by separate group , Government is a mute spectator , Hue loss for economy , I am from Punjab , 2 days protests by Baba Ram Rahim followers , then 1 day by Sikh Radical groups and Now 2 days by farmers , and 4 day Transport strike by Transporters against Toll tax , where in India we are heading ????
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Oct 08, 2015 06:16pm
@bryan no it's not common in south asia because no other country has this vast and maintaiNed railway system.
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Oct 08, 2015 06:19pm
@east punjabi people protest only to those who listen.
Do you understand what I am saying?
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Oct 08, 2015 06:26pm
I feel Its better to stop Samjhota Express because its security isn't guaranteed since the friendship between India and Pakistan has soured,
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Oct 08, 2015 06:47pm
If both side have sensible government then this train can be a major tourism booster. Who does not like to see the country side of undivided Punjab while travelling in this train?. Our politicians will make both the countries fight till we become a troubled place like current Syria. Think and act before it get too late
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Oct 08, 2015 07:05pm
@Kamal Pasha i hope your word bcome law
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Oct 08, 2015 07:08pm
Good Move.
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Oct 08, 2015 07:26pm
There is a major change needed in the way farming is done in South Asia. The small scale farms will not work anymore given the high costs of labor and other expenses.
Farmers with sizeable acreage and using technology are making money. It is the small scale farmers who are in big trouble.
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Oct 08, 2015 08:09pm
@Shubs Never look for common sense among these comments, my friend. I have stopped expecting any long ago.
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Oct 08, 2015 08:12pm
When such disruptions happen by people, Indian govt takes actions.....not blame neighboring countries.
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Oct 08, 2015 08:35pm
That is a great act and preventive measure to ensure the safety of the passengers and the relation between two countries.
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Oct 08, 2015 09:07pm
What's happening in India under the rule of Modi ji!
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Oct 08, 2015 09:13pm
Speaking of the Samjhota Express, were the hindu extremist bombers ever punished?
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Oct 08, 2015 09:25pm
@8-Pass Charlie - India is growing in leaps and bounds under Mr. Modi. Please let me know if you want any more information.
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Oct 08, 2015 09:47pm
The decision caused inconvenience to passengers and their families living on both sides of the border but under the current situation, it's a wise decision and please don't see every incident from political point of view.
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Oct 08, 2015 09:56pm
@Shubs you are wrong india has become extremist nation where army hasbeen killing kashmiris for years thousand of kashmiris are martyred,where people are not allowed to eat beef and Rss started ghar wapsi now they are forcefully converting muslims and christians to hindus.so called secular india where only hindus have rights.
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Oct 08, 2015 10:08pm
@yogi People who are saying to stop this train they should think about those people, who wants to meet their relatives across the border. Why don't you give respect to Pakistanis as we give indians when they came here. BTW i'm not talking about celebrities, i'm talking about ordinary Pakistani citizens.
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Oct 08, 2015 10:33pm
After indian hindu hard-liner terrorism against Pakistani Muslims aboard Samjhota, I'm surprised this train still exists. To the Indians reading this, we are still waiting for justice. Never forgive, never forget.
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Oct 09, 2015 12:30am
@deva They are doing their own business. By the way more people visit Pakistan from India than people visiting India from Pakistan. Pakistan will never stop Sikh people visiting their religious site. We are a little bit more tolerant than India in this respect. Stay calm deva
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Oct 09, 2015 01:12am
@kanwarch touché brother touché. Well said
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Oct 09, 2015 02:18am
@anony did 7/11 culprit everbrought to justice
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Oct 09, 2015 03:01am
@M. Siddique
You talk out samjotaa and they will talk about Bombay incidence. There will be no samjota between both.
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Oct 09, 2015 03:06am
It is so sad to see how quickly people on both sides become influenced by political temperature. We can chose friends not neighbors. We have so many things in common yet we will fight on minor differences. People of both sides should be free to travel and trade with out visa.
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Oct 10, 2015 06:35pm
India should move these people to New Delhi by air. If government knew conditions were not right for train to come to India, concerned authorities should have informed Pakistan Railway to keep the train in Lahore.
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