New Delhi, Feb 22 (IANS) Rana Liyaqat Ali, who took three days to drive down from Pakistan along with seven other relatives of the India-Pakistan peace train blast victims, arrived here Thursday to meet family members who had survived.

Arriving at the Safdarjung Hospital at 6 a.m. Thursday morning, Ali said: "We reached Panipat at 9.30 p.m. Thursday night and went to the hospital there to identify the bodies of our relatives who travelled in the ill-fated train."

Ali's brother Rana Shaukat Ali, sister-in-law Rukshana and year-old niece Aksa were admitted here after they lost five children in the twin blasts aboard the Attari Special train bound for Lahore Sunday night near Panipat in Haryana.

"I could not identify my nephews or nieces at Panipat," Ali whispered. "The bodies have shrunk... But I am sure once Shaukat is better and is able to go there, he will be able to identify his children."

He also said that railway officials have retrieved the eldest child Ayesha's books from the rubble.

As he sat sipping a cup of tea in the hospital premises, Ali said he is relieved to see that Shaukat, Rukshana and Aksa are fine. He is, however, now adamant to take his brother-in-law - Rukshana's brother Zannat Ali - back to Pakistan.

"Zannat's passport enquiry is done. I want him to come with us," Ali told IANS.

Zannat said: "I always wanted to go to visit my relatives on the other side of the border. And now, the want is even more because such a big tragedy has befallen the family."

Hakumdin Ali, the brother-in-law of Mohammad Qamaruddin, another sufferer, rushed from Multan to be by his side. "I have lost two of my family members. Now I am here to take Qamaruddin back with me. I am staying at a hotel near Jama Masjid at the moment," Hakumdin said.

Two of the eight relatives who arrived in India have stayed back in Panipat and will come to Delhi later Thursday. While most of the relatives are clinging to some hope, for Mohammad Javed of Gaya, Bihar, the future seems bleak.

"I can't find 11 of my relatives. My brother Mohammad Shabbir Ahmed, his wife Samina and four of their children along with other family members were on their way back home in Karachi," a swollen-eyed Javed said.

"After the blasts, we kept waiting for them to phone. When no call came, I rushed to Panipat. But we could neither find their names on the list nor could we find their bodies. They are not here in Delhi as well.

"The authorities said that DNA test is the only option that I have. So I have given my blood sample and am waiting for the DNA reports," he said.

Railway official Mahendra Singh Banswal said an ex-gratia payment of Rs.100,000 would be given to the kin of the victims and Rs.50,000 will be given to the injured.