KARACHI, Feb 1: Pakistan Railways on Wednesday opened seat reservation for Khokhrapar-Monabao train service marking the resumption of rail-link between India and Pakistan after an interval of around four decades.

The seat reservation process was inaugurated by Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad at the cantonment railway station. The first ticket was bought by the governor and the second by City Nazim Mustafa Kamal.

The governor said that the service was being resumed after a lapse of 40 years. He said that the resumption of the rail link between the two countries was made possible due to the vision of President Musharraf, which was part of peace efforts and confidence building measures. He said that the service would bring a favourable change in Mirpurkhas, Khokhrapar and adjoining localities.

He appreciated the officials of the Pakistan Railways for completing the railway line from Mirpurkhas to Khokhrapar in the shortest possible span of eight months.

The rail link was suspended between the two countries since the 1965 war, the railway officials said adding that resumption of the link would not only benefit the people travelling to India but would also lead to development of the downtrodden areas of Thar.

Division Superintendent of Karachi Railway Junaid Qureshi said that the name of the train had been decided as Thar Express, which would consist of one sleeper and eight economy class coaches. It would run on Fridays at 11pm. It would reach Khokhrapar every Saturday at 9am where it would have a stopover for two hours. During stopover, the passengers would get their luggage cleared from customs and thereafter the train would leave for Monabao at 11am. The first train would leave on Feb 17 and reach Monabao on Feb 18.

He said that the train would stay for one and a half hour at Monabao railway station, pick passengers and would return to Karachi by Saturday midnight. On its way back, the customs of the passengers would be carried out at zero point on border. The ticket for economy class would be Rs240 with birth and for sleeper Rs462, from Karachi to zero point.