Railways minister says department will be able to overcome deficit soon
Pakistan Railways (PR) Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has said the PR is offering its stations and trains for advertisement to domestic and international companies.
Addressing a meeting with senior journalists, columnists and anchorpersons at PR Headquarters on Saturday, he said, “Initially, three trains including Tezgam, Awami and Khayber Mail Express are going to be offered for branding on seat covers, internal walls of passenger coaches and toilets as a pilot project.”
Additionally, he said, three railway stations including Lahore and Karachi are also being presented for branding and goods coaches are also under consideration for it. He said the PR deficit would decrease by the end of the current fiscal year. He said the PR bureaucracy had started doing its work with dedication and officers even worked on holidays.
Highlighting achievements of the PR during the period between June 11, 2013 and December 31, 2014, the minister said PR would be able to successfully reduce its deficit despite extra expenditure of Rs 3 billion in the sectors of pensions, salaries and increasing fuel prices.
He said the PR had earned Rs 3.43 billion more than the previous year with an income of Rs 12.87 billion during the 200 days of the present government. All corrupt officers had been sacked and skilled and honest officers were deputed to run the department, he added.
He said not a single fresh appointment had been made during the last 200 days except a transparently appointed director general public relations.
Saad said that freight was the most neglected sector in the past but the present administration was now operating four to five freight trains daily while just one train was operational when the present government had taken over the charge.
The minister said the punctuality rate of trains had been raised up to 55 percent from 10 percent and there was room for more improvement in it.
The minister said a request had been forwarded to the government for raise in salaries of the PR police staff as they were getting very low salaries. He appealed to the high court to take notice of one-sided stay orders by lower courts without hearing the stance of the railways. He urged all national institutions including judiciary to support the railways in its turnaround.
Saad said that payments of pensions were being automated and soon PR pensioners would be able to draw their pension from their desired bank.