Lahore, Aug 24: Pakistan's top railway official said today that his country is ready to resume Samjhauta Express, a train service that used to carry thousands of people, often divided families, across the border with India. The trains stopped chugging across the border after an attack on the Indian Parliament in December 13, 2001. New Delhi blamed Pakistan's spy agency and Islamic militants for the attack. Pakistan denied involvement. Both sides cut road, air and rail links.

On the Pakistani side of Wagah, the main border crossing point with India, workers have spruced up and repainted the small railway station in anticipation rail travel with India will resume soon. “When we get a green signal. Our service will be ready,'' said Khursheed Khan, the head of state-run Pakistan Railways. “The train is ready to leave for India anytime.''

At Wagah, about 26 km from the eastern city of Lahore, Khan inspected the renovated facilities at the small railway station that includes immigration, customs and ticketing counters. The station's hall has been painted light yellow and dark green, the colours of Pakistan's railway. For days workers tightened nuts and bolts on the tracks leading up to Wagah from Lahore. An engine chugged along the line on Sunday on a test ride.

The twice-a-week train shuttled between Lahore, in Pakistan, and Attari, on the Indian side.
Khan said that Pakistan was prepared to extend the train service to the western Indian city of Amritsar and New Delhi, once the service resumes.

The only cross-border rail connection was started in 1976 as part of a peace treaty.

Bureau Report