Pakistan authorities have suspended the services of Samjhauta Express that runs between Lahore and India’s New Delhi until further notice amidst tense bilateral ties in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack.
"The operation of Samjhauta Express has been suspended today in view of the prevailing tensions between Pakistan and India," Indian media quoted Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) spokesman as saying.
The bi-weekly train was scheduled to depart from Lahore with 16 passengers.
"Samjhauta Express will resume its operations as soon as the security situation improves between India and Pakistan," the spokesman said without giving any specific date for resuming the train service.
The service was introduced on July 22, 1976 under the Shimla Agreement that settled the 1971 war between India and Pakistan.
Tensions between India and Pakistan soared in the wake of the Pulwama attack by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) on February 14 when 40 Indian paramilitary men were killed in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.
India carried out air strikes against the biggest training camp of JeM in Balakot. In the operation, a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for suicide attacks were eliminated.
The facility at Balakot was headed by Yousuf Azhar, the brother-in-law of JeM chief Masood Azhar.
