Passengers are suffering due to the suspension of several trains by the Pakistan Railways (PR) administration after the train burning incident in Kamoke.
Passengers said that the PR administration had intentionally suspended the operation of some trains to hide their mismanagement.
PR Daily Passengers Association (DPA) President Chaudhry A Majid Bal said on Sunday that only passenger trains of branch lines had been suspended, while asking, “Is there no danger to mail and long distance trains?” He said that the present PR administration had failed in operating the railways and demanded that the government take notice against it for creating hardships for people.
DPA Chairman Hafiz Abdul Qayyum said that passengers of the Narowal section were badly hit by the decision as there were no other means of transport for them. He also demanded that the PR chairman and higher authorities restore all trains so that problems being faced by passengers could be resolved.
When contacted, PR General Manager (Operations) Junaid Qureshi said that all suspended trains would be restored if the inspector general of Punjab Police assured PR about their security. He said that passengers’ lives and public assets were more important than train operations and that the PR could not take any risk. He added that mail and long distance trains were operating under special supervision and the operation of mail trains could also be suspended in case of any disturbance on the route.