Asia

Pakistan official: Train service with India resumes

Associated Press
Published | Updated

A passenger looks out from a train on her way to India, after being stranded in Pakistan for a week, at Lahore Railway Station in Pakistan, Monday, March 4, 2019. A Pakistani railways official says a key train service between Pakistan and neighbouring India has been resumed, a sign on easing tensions between the two South Asian nuclear-armed rivals. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

A passenger waves from the doorway of a train, on her way to India, after being stranded in Pakistan for a week, at Lahore Railway Station in Pakistan, Monday, March 4, 2019. A Pakistani railways official says a key train service between Pakistan and neighbouring India has been resumed, a sign on easing tensions between the two South Asian nuclear-armed rivals. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

A Pakistani railway official says a key train service with neighboring India has resumed in another sign of easing tensions between the two nuclear-armed rivals since a major escalation last week over disputed Kashmir region.

Pakistan Railways spokesman Ejaz Shah says the train service, known as Samjhauta Express, left the eastern city of Lahore on Monday for India's border town of Atari, with some 180 passengers on board.

Pakistan suspended the train service last week as tensions escalated following India's airstrike on Tuesday inside Pakistan that India said targeted militants behind a Feb. 14 suicide bombing in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed 40 Indian troops.

Pakistan retaliated, shooting down a fighter jet the next day and detaining its pilot, who was returned to India two days later.