Pakistan Plays Double-Speak, Restores Samjhauta Express But Refuses to Open Gate For Poonch-Rawalakot Bus Service
The bus services between Jammu and Kashmir's Pooch-Rawalkot was suspended on Monday after the Pakistani authorities did not open the gate at Chak da Bagh crossing point.
Srinagar, February 4: The bus services between Jammu and Kashmir's Pooch and Rawalkot was suspended on Monday after the Pakistani authorities did not open the gate at Chak da Bagh crossing point. This development comes after Pakistan resumed Samjhauta Express between Delhi and Lahore after a brief suspension in the aftermath of pre-emptive air strikes on Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) training centre in Balakot of neighbouring country's Khyber Pashtun region. Samjhauta Express Services Restored After Pakistan Released IAF Pilot Abhinandan Varthaman; Train to Run from India on Sunday.
According to news agency ANI, Pakistan didn't even open the gate for residents of PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir). Speaking to ANI, Resident of Mirpur(PoK) Syed Bukhari said, "I was going back, went to the border, bought tickets but was told that the Pakistan authorities did not open the gate today, then we had to come back." Samjhauta Express Immune From India-Pakistan Tensions, Will Run on Delhi-Attari Route as Per Schedule: Railways.
Tweet by ANI:
The bus services between Poonch-Rawalakot was started on June 20, 2006, to facilitate easy travel for Kashmiri families divided by LoC. Meanwhile, this move from Pakistani authorities comes after the India-Pakistan train service, Samjhauta Express was restored. A Pakistani railway official said that they have resumed train services with India as another sign of easing tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 04, 2019 04:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).