Samjhauta Express stopped at Wagah due to security concerns

Rejecting charges that it had “stopped” Samjhauta Express, India on Friday said it was cancelled due to local agitation and Indian authorities had informed their Pakistani counterparts about it in advance.

The Indian farmers were holding a demonstration to demand compensation for destruction of their cotton crop, according to reports.

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

57 Pakistani passengers were offloaded at Wagah Border after the Indian official did not give clearance to the train to cross the border.

A press release issued by the Pakistan Foreign Office said that Dr. Mohammad Faisal, the Director General (South Asia), told Mr. Raghuram during their meeting that the cancellation had caused inconvenience to more than 200 passengers from Pakistan and India.

The Railways issued certificates to allow the Indian nationals, whose visas to Pakistan expired.

A deadly bomb attack on the Samjhauta Express in February 2007 on the Indian side of the border killed 68 people, including 42 Pakistanis.

In 2011, Hindu extremist leader Swami Aseemanand had confessed that he was involved in several bombing incidents and also claimed to have been a part of the Samjhota Express train bombing.