Second relief train heads for Lahore

The second Indian consignment of 68 tonne relief was today loaded on the Samjhauta Express to Lahore while the third consignment, for which New Delhi has started preparations, will leave on Monday. Today’s consignment included 5,000 blankets, 320 tents and 4.5 tonne plastic sheets. The first Indian consignment of 25 tonne relief was sent by air on October 10 after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.

Further opening up doors, India has decided to permit relief material by private organisations and international NGOs to go to Pakistan through Wagah border. Today, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee sent trucks carrying 16,000 blankets and 1,500 tents to Pakistan. The convoy was flagged off by Pakistan High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan.

New Delhi has decided to send consignments by train to avoid rush at the Islamabad airport.

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The MEA spokesperson said India and Pakistan have been in regular touch since the quake struck. New Delhi has also sent feelers for joint rescue and relief work along the LoC given that both sides have been severely affected.

Meanwhile, the trial run of the Amritsar-Lahore bus service scheduled for Saturday has been postponed due to the earthquake. Technical-level talks for the Amritsar-Nankana Sahib bus service, slated for October 25-26, have also been postponed, the MEA spokesperson said.