Pakistan restores Samjhauta Express services to India

A Pakistani railway official says a key train service with neighbouring India has resumed in another sign of easing tensions between the two countries since a major escalation last week over 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.