Thar Express from Pakistan reaches India

New Delhi/Jaipur : Thar Express from Pakistan reached India on Saturday afternoon, while the Karachi-bound train is on its way to the neighbouring country, officials said. The Thar Express from Pakistan started from the station zero point at 17.20 hours and reached Indian station Munabao at 17.40 hours with 165 passengers -- 62 Indians and 103 Pakistanis -- on board, railways said.

The Thar link Express from India is on its way to Karachi. Pakistan had on Friday announced suspension of all train services to India after the Centre scrapped provisions of Article 370 and divided Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories. Pakistan's Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed had said in Islamabad that this would be the last Jodhpur-Karachi train.

The passenger from both the countries reached zero point on the international border and changed trains to go to their respective destinations in India and Pakistan. The Indian train reached Munabao, the last station on the Indian side of the border, at 6.55 am after departing from Bhagat Ki Kothi station in Jodhpur at 1 am and was awaiting clearance from Pakistan, they said.

The clearance was received at 3.05 pm, a North Western Railway spokesperson said, adding that the train departed soon after.