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Catching the Last Train Home
Catching the Last Train Home
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Torn from family reunions, weddings and funerals, hundreds of Pakistanis and Indians caught the
last train home Monday, December 31, 2001, cramming into extra carriages as their war ready
governments halted all public transportation across the tense border.
Wrapped in scarves, overcoats and shawls against the winter chill, about 2,300 Pakistanis
and Indians said tearful goodbyes on platforms in Delhi and Lahore, before boarding
separate versions of the Samjhauta Express – the only passenger train between the
countries. Named with the Urdu word for "understanding", the service – two trains a
week in each direction – was inaugurated in 1976.
Journeying home before all cross - border train, bus and air services ceased, passengers
headed both ways criticized the steps by their governments and said they hope the nuclear
armed South Asian nations do not go to war.
"This is a great human tragedy", said Rehana Ali, 18, of Calcutta, who arrived in Lahore
last week to see her sister but was forced to return to India early. "This train connects
divided families", she said. "Millions of people are going to be affected".
On the train out of India, Majid Nawaz, 40, a house painter heading home to Pakistan,
was happy to see no military buildup in the border area in northern Punjab state.
On Friday December 28, 2001, India announced it was severing transportation links to
pressure Pakistan to shut down militant organizations it blames for a December 13 attack
on the Indian Parliament that killed 14 people, including the five assailants. [The Associated Press]
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