Train service between Pakistan, India suspended

Pakistan on Thursday suspended the operation of a train service with India in view of the prevailing tension between two nuclear-armed neighbors.

"The operation of Samjhuta Express has been suspended today in view of current tension between Pakistan and India," Mohammad Faisal, the Foreign Ministry’s spokesman said in a statement.

Samjhuta Express, started in 1976, is a bi-weekly train service runs between Indian city of Amritsar and Pakistani city Lahore.

It will resume its operation as soon as the security situation improves between both countries, he added.

Meanwhile, Pakistan-India friendship bus service operates as per schedule. A bus carrying Delhi-bound passengers left Lahore this morning, Pakistan’s tourism corporation said.

The tension escalated between the two nuclear neighbors in the past few weeks, after a suicide bombing, claimed by Jaish-e-Mohammed, in Jammu and Kashmir killed more than 40 Indian paramilitary troops on Feb. 14.

The group had been list as a terrorist organization by Islamabad in 2002.

On Feb. 26, India claimed that “several terrorists” were killed in an airstrike on a camp of Jaish-e-Mohammed inside Pakistan.

Islamabad denied there had been any casualties, saying Indian troops intruded into Pakistan’s airspace and dropped four bombs at an empty forest land while “escaping”.

On Feb. 27, Pakistan claimed that its air force shot down two Indian fighter jets and arrested one Indian pilot.

India also claimed to have shot down a Pakistani jet. New Delhi also confirmed that it “lost” one aircraft and called for the safe return of its pilot from Pakistan.