Chaos hit Pakistan Railways on Monday as workers who have not been paid for months held protests across the country, staging wheel-jam strikes at various central railway stations, but a strike at the Lahore Railway Station ended a mere 6 hours after it began as differences sprung up among the protesters. Union representatives ended the strike that had grounded 13 locomotives in their sheds in Lahore, citing problems being faced by commuters as well as a promise made by the PR administration that all employees would be paid on Tuesday (today).
However, they threatened to resume the strike if appropriate steps were not taken to ensure timely payment of salaries to employees. One of the protesting union leaders told Pakistan Today that their talks with the PR administration had been successful and they had walked away with the assurance that they would get paid, but said the protests and the ‘Save Railways’ movement would continue until the complete revival of the organisation. Conversely, PR sources said the strike was called off by the Railway Mazdoor Ittehad Union because it had no backing from the PR Employees (PREM) Union and because most workers across the country were not in favour of a wheel-jam strike. The PREM Union Lahore Division senior vice president told Pakistan Today that they were not in favour of a wheel-jam strike so they did not participate. He said, however, that on Tuesday morning they would stage a protest demonstration against the non-payment of salaries to employees, who he said were facing enormous problems.
Earlier in the day, employees of PR – which is passing through its worst financial crisis ever – launched a ‘Save Railways’ movement against the organisation’s failure to pay them and closure of hundreds of trains because of lack of engines and unavailability of diesel fuel. Leaders of workers unions said they would resort to any means to put PR back on track, with their ultimate goal being a complete overhaul of the organisation. Workers laid down on the tracks to keep the trains from leaving the station, which further disrupted the already struggling train schedule for Lahore. Iqbal Express, Awam Express, Tezgam and several other trains were delayed for several hours. As the cash-strapped department strives to cope amid a growing crisis, its frustrated and enraged Class IV employees in Faisalabad stopped the Millat Express arriving from Karachi at the out gate by lying down on the tracks. Other trains en route to Faisalabad from Karachi were also stopped, along with those arriving from Gojra and Lahore, stranding passengers for hours. In Karachi, PR employees staged protests at the railway station and chanted slogans against the government. They also stopped trains departing for various cities. In Rawalpindi, the protesting employees blocked the road by burning tyres. Protests were also held in Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, Sialkot and other cities.Responding to the situation, Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmed Bilour said the crisis could have been averted if PR were given a bailout package. He said PR was compelled to use 30-year-old engines because newer ones were not being made available.
