India, Pak differ on schedule to restore rail link Thursday, December 2 2004 19:16 Hrs (IST) - World Time
Islamabad:
Differences surfaced between India and Pakistan over the time schedule to restore the Munabao-Khokhrapar rail link, which was stopped 39 years ago, as the railway officials of the two countries met in Islamabad today (Dec 2, 2004) to discuss the matter.
On the opening day of the two-day talks today, India suggested running the trains by September 2005 after carrying out necessary track repairs while Pakistan said it required two years to make the infrastructure ready for commencing the service between Munabao in Rajasthan and Khokrapar in Pakistan's Sindh province, state-run PTV reported.
Indian officials subsequently said the two sides differed on the schedule to run the train service.
"It appeared that Pakistan is not very keen to run the train service," an Indian official, who attended the talks, said on condition of anonymity.
The PTV report, quoting officials, was aired even when the talks were underway between the two sides.
External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh recently said India was hopeful that the rail link would be restored by October 2, 2005. Pakistan, however, remained non-committal.
A seven-member Indian delegation headed by L R Thapar, Additional Member of Railway Board, held talks with Pakistani delegation led by Secretary Railways Board Zaeem Chaudhry.
Earlier, Chaudhary sounded optimistic about the talks and said a "breakthrough" was likely.
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