New Delhi:
Days after Pakistan, India has also suspended Jodhpur-Munabao Thar Link Express, Railways officials said on Friday. The Thar Link Express is the Indian portion of the international train service between India and Pakistan. The services of the Thar Express, which is a continuation of the previous Sind Mail which stopped running 41 years ago, were started between Jodhpur in India and Karachi in Pakistan in 2006.
Before the suspension of its services today, the train ran weekly from Bhagat Ki Kothi railway station in Jodhpur to Manabao in Barmer. The Pakistani portion of the train runs from Karachi to the Zero Point railway station setup by Pakistan on the border. After reaching Munabao, passengers of the Thar Link Express cross the border and board the Thar Express to Karachi.
The decision to suspend the Indian portion of the Thar Express came days after Pakistan stopped running its portion of the train service in protest against India’s “unilateral” decision to revoke special status of Kashmir by scraping provisions of Article 370 that gave significant autonomy to the region.
Earlier, Pakistan had also cancelled the bi-weekly Samjhauta Express train service connecting Lahore and New Delhi. The Samjhauta Express train service was suspended earlier this year, due to escalating tensions between the two neighbouring countries following Pulwama attack. However, the services resumed later.
Following India’s big move, Pakistan has taken several major decisions, including downgrading of diplomatic ties and suspension of bilateral trade with India. The neighbouring country has also taken the issue to the United Nations Security Council with the help of China.
