Amid the uncertainty and anger of victims’ families, the Indian High Commission came in for rare praise in a letter to the Dawn on Thursday. Written by a neighbour of a victim’s family in Karachi, the letter said the unexpected call from the High Commissioner’s office offering condolences was very comforting. “It touched my heart and made me sad as my neighbour’s four relatives, (parents and two young children) were among the victims...his relatives are still with the charred bodies waiting to return to Pakistan... The only call he received was from the Indian High Commissioner’s office to condole the death of his relatives,” it read. Deputy High Commissioner TCA Raghavan also spoke to TV channels in Pakistan, detailing visa procedure for victims’ relatives from Lahore.

Guilt-ridden, driver yet to meet family

AMRITSAR: Kiran Diwan, driver of the ill-fated Samjhauta Express, can’t sleep these days. “He is consumed by despair and guilt though he did his best to save the passengers in the burning train,” says his 19-year-old daughter Meenakshi. Diwan’s wife and three children live in the railway colony here, but he hasn’t met them after the tragedy. It was from the television that Diwan’s family learnt of the news. “Finally, when we managed to contact him, he sounded so broken. He said he tried his best to apply the brakes as soon as he learnt about the fire but so many lives had been snuffed out by then,” says Meenakshi. The family is worried because Diwan is withdrawn and has called only thrice. “He loves his job. He has been driving the Samjhauta Express for the last three years and never fails to tell us how it stands for peace,” says Meenakshi.

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