HYDERABAD, July 8: Many Indian passengers were denied travelling in the Thar Express early on Saturday morning because of non-confirmation of reservation of their seats.

They had no option but to return to their Pakistani hosts in various districts.

They urged Pakistani and Indian governments to increase the number of bogies in the train which should run twice a week.

Until a couple of months back, officials of the Pakistan railways were attaching nine bogies to ensure accommodation of passengers.

But the interior ministry objected on the ground that as per the accord only seven bogies have to ply between the Sindh-Rajasthan border.

Last week the railway department had attached two more coaches in Thar Express at Zero Point when it returned from Munabao after taking excessive numbers of Indian and Pakistani passengers on board.

Passengers said that the Pakistan Railways withdrew two bogies unilaterally but according to deputy superintendent Syed Nasir Zaidi, the agreement envisaged operation of only seven bogies.

He said that there was a huge rush of passengers therefore the number of bogies should increase and its operation should be made twice a week.

“It is beyond my authority because this is to be decided between Pakistan and Indian governments mutually”, Mr Zaidi said.

Around 366 passengers could travel in seven coaches of the train from Karachi to Munabao.

In addition to passengers, at least 95 member staff of various agencies including FIA immigration, customs, narcotics, intelligence and police personnel also travel in the train.

After being dropped out of the train, Indian passengers face difficulty as they have to get extension of their stay and strive for seeking confirmation of seats which are not available till August 4.

As a result, it is leading to complaints against officials of the Hyderabad railway station who according to passengers and their hosts are behaving rudely with reservation seekers and not guiding them properly.

It was learnt that around 780 passengers have to return by Thar Express on Saturday from Munabao for Pakistan which indicate that the Pakistan Railways would have to attach more coaches to accommodate them from Zero Point to Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas and Karachi.

About twenty-two Indian passengers, who in anticipation of boarding train after purchasing tickets, had come from Rahimyar Khan (Punjab) and Ghotki districts only to be denied travelling.

“We came here to see off our 22-Indian family members but we could not board Thar Express in absence of confirmation”, said Mohammad Mureed, a Pakistani host of an Indian family.

He demanded that both the governments should ply the train twice a week.

After expiry of their visas, Indian passengers have to seek extension through the Sindh home department for which they are given a certificate by railway officials to prove that they could not leave for India for unavailability of reservations.

“We have already got one month’s extension and now again we have to go through the same cumbersome process”, said an Indian national.

“On Thursday, I had come at the reservation office at 4:30am to seek confirmation of seat in August 4 train but till 9am I could not get one.

But I noted that reservation official having few passports in hand was preparing tickets for other people who were not available in queue outside the booking office”, said Saleem Ahmed, a resident of Hyderabad.

Railway authorities have recently decided to allow only those passengers who have obtained reservation of seats following scuffles between passengers and smashing of panes of bogies’ doors at Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas railway stations.

Qamaruddin adds from Mirpurkhas: Thar Express arrived an hour late at the Mirpurkhas railway station on Saturday along with 302 passengers.

Strict security arrangements were made by railway authorities.

About 62 passengers boarded the train from Mirpurkhas which left for Munabao at 5:30am with 364 passengers on board.

It reached Zero Point railway station at 9:10am.

Several passengers whose visa had expired and they failed to get reservation of seats have got their route of travelling changed from the Sindh home department.

They have now opted for the Wagha border from the Sindh home department.