Awami Muslim League (AML) Chairman and former federal minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed led a protest and sit-in at the Lahore Railway Station on Saturday to protest against the poor financial condition of the department and apathy of the federal government towards the situation.
Rashid said that PIA and railways infrastructure was being destroyed under a conspiracy while ever-increasing corruption and incompetent bureaucracy were causing severe damages to the department, which were responsible for its near collapse. AML workers, railways employees and union workers also participated in the protest.
The protesters held placards and chanted slogans for rehabilitation of railways and against the railway management. Addressing the protesters, Rashid said that ironically in the course of damaging railways, national interests were also put at stack by conspirators.
The AML chairman disclosed that railways did not have diesel for even one day while India had 70 to 90 days of additional oil stock for the army. He said that in such a situation, what would the federal government do if oil was required to be sent to borders?
Rashid warned that a “third party” might take advantage of the situation if it remained unchanged by March 12. He said that the government could not be changed by performing sit-ins at the Parliament House or in front of the Presidency but it could be changed when workers would come on roads.
The former federal minister said that it was ironical that the country could make atomic bombs, tanks and missiles but did not have the capability to manufacture or repair locomotives. Rashid said that during his period, he started 24 new trains but now railways had closed down operations of 124 trains besides dropping all mega projects such as double track, signals improvement and bullet train.
The AML chairman claimed that he could rehabilitate railways within two months and if he failed to do so, than people could hang him in front of Lal Haveli. He said that there was an urgent need to improve the functioning of railways, as destruction of railways would destroy the national economy.
Rashid announced holding protests and said the AML would start a train march from Karachi to Islamabad to press for their demand for improving the functioning of railways. He said people were facing problems due to the poor railway system and added that the whole system could be improved if honest efforts were made in this regard.
Rashid said that the federal government should provide funds to railway workers for welfare of the department and the whole nation. Separately, railways employees protested against non-payment of salaries and stopped railway traffic during a protest at the Lahore Washing Line due to which several trains were delayed and commuters faced trouble.
Later, the protesters reached the Garhi Shahu Bridge and blocked traffic. The labourers severely criticised the federal government and railways management. Labourers said that workers would save railways and a workers alliance had been formed in this regard. They said that railway traffic would be jammed throughout the country if the government did not pay salaries on time.
