- Where is the accountability
The collision at Hyderabad of a passenger train and a goods train was bad enough in itself. It was also a rude shock for the Pakistan Railways community, because three drivers were killed. Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad has ordered an enquiry, though that step did not really inspire confidence. Apart from the fact that ordering enquiries smacks of the ‘look-busy do-nothing’ attitude that afflicts ministers trying to avoid unpleasant events, previous enquiries ordered by him have not delivered the goods, as the number of accidents of all kinds are approaching 50 on his watch. Inquiries are not intended primarily to affix blame, but to recommend steps for improvements in the future; in this case, how to prevent accidents. Even if Sh Rasheed’s orders for enquiries have been obeyed, the fruits should have not been more accidents.
One of the main selling-points of the railways, historically and worldwide, has been safety. Whether one goes oneself, or sends goods, there is supposed to a guarantee of safe arrival, and not, as in the Hyderabad example, a failure to ensure either people or goods arrived on time, a kind of grisly devil-may-care spirit that actually makes a virtue of clearing the track blocked because of the collision.
An enquiry will be useful, but there does seem to be a double standard as work. While his PTI was in opposition, Prime Minister Imran Khan demanded the resignation of the then Railways Minister whenever there was an accident. There were even insinuations made that the accident had been made to occur because the minister was trying to drive the Railways into the ground. However, now that he has become PM, and has inducted Sh Rasheed, who does not even belong to his party, as Railway Minister, he is observing a deafening silence, and has not made any calls for resignation or any insinuations about the Sheikh’s motives. The official enquiry must not be a whitewash, but must identify not just why the accident happened, but also who were the neglectful officials who could have acted to avert the accident. One example of tabdeeli would be to have the Railways officials face accountability– starting with the Minister.
