Pakistan and India on Monday decided to extend visas of stranded citizens by another week to facilitate them to return to their respective countries after restoration of Samjhauta Train and Dosti Bus services.
The two services were suspended due to ongoing caste protests in north Indian state of Haryana.
According to the Indian High Commission, the visas of those passengers traveling to India, and whose travel documents were going to expire shortly, had been extended until the Dosti Bus and Samjohota Express services were restored.
According to sources at Pakistan’s Interior Ministry, visas of Pakistani passengers stranded in India had also been extended.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria, in a statement, said that currently the Samjhota Express Train and Dosti Bus Service were suspended, which had created problems for Pakistanis who were currently in India and intended to return home.
He said that Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi was in touch with the Indian authorities to assist the stranded Pakistanis.
Riots and arson erupted in India’s state of Haryana in caste protests, which left more than 20 people dead, while New Delhi faced a water crisis after mobs shut down a key supply.
Thousands of troops with shoot-on-sight orders were deployed in Haryana after week-long protests turned violent, with rioters setting fire to homes and railway stations and blocking highways.
The Jat rural caste is leading the protests, demanding quotas be set for Jats for highly sought-after government jobs and for university places. Caste members say they are struggling to meet ends despite India’s strong economic growth.
