Pakistan Railways drivers are protesting against ministry’s slackness to replace debilitated engines into third day leading to cancellation of two trains on Tuesday.
Railways Quetta division has been affected by the ongoing protest and drivers’ boycott. The station administration has cancelled Karachi-bound Bolan and Chaman-bound passenger expresses.
Adding to train boarders’ woes, besides protest, passengers are irked over the cancellation of expresses every other day.
Passengers have demanded Pakistan Railways to provide healthy engines. Drivers have vowed to continue the protest until the government agrees to replace the engines. They further criticised the ministry for conveniently leaving the responsibility of all accidents with ill-fated drivers.
Earlier on November 17, Jaffar Express had derailed near Balochistan’s Bolan claiming as many as 17 lives, and injuring at least 148.
Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique had said that the accident was a result of the driver’s inability to control the engine after applying brakes. Rafique had chaired a meeting of the Standing Committee of Senate on Railways on November 23.
The federal minister told media after meeting that the accident occurred in the Aab-e-Gum area of Balochistan, and was due to the negligence of the driver. The driver was over speeding and could not control the train.
Saad Rafique said that initial report of the accident has been prepared and would be made public within the next few days. The minister refused to comment further on the issue before the report goes public.
