The Thar Express to Karachi left Bhagat ki Kothi station here at its scheduled time at 1 am Saturday, officials said, amid apprehension that its run may end a few hours later at Munabao, the last station on the Indian side of the border.
On Friday, Pakistan’s Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed announced in Islamabad that this would be the last Jodhpur-Karachi train.
But as the passengers got aboard the train at Jodhpur’s Bhagat ki Kothi station, there were concerns that the journey could even end at Munabao in Rajasthan’s Barmer district, the border station it was scheduled to reach at 7 am.
“The train departed with 165 passengers as per its schedule at 1.00 a.m. after the due formalities. There was no message till its departure about cancellation of the train,” said Gopal Sharma, divisional PRO of the Jodhpur Division of the North Western Railway zone.
Among the 165 passengers, 81 are Indians, who are visiting their relatives in Pakistan. Eighty-four Pakistan nationals are returning to their country after completion of their visa limit in India, he said.
The Thar Express has been running between Jodhpur and Pakistan’s Karachi every Friday night since services resumed on February 18, 2006 after a 41-year suspension.
Pakistan announced the suspension of the Thar Express and the Samjhauta Express following its decision to downgrade bilateral ties after India revoked the special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.
At the station, Roshan Bibi (51), who acquired Indian citizenship about three months ago, waited to begin the journey that would allow her to see her sick daughter Sana Yasser.
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