Tag: Pakistan Railways

  • Pakistan Railways increases train fares amid record-high fuel prices 

    Pakistan Railways increases train fares amid record-high fuel prices 

    Pakistan Railways has announced a second fare increase this September in response to a significant surge in petrol and diesel prices. 

    According to ARY News, effective tomorrow, September 19th, train fares will see a 5 per cent hike across all categories, encompassing shuttles, passenger trains, express services, and freight. It’s worth noting that this increase excludes shuttle and passenger trains covering distances of 250 kilometres or less. 

    Over the past 1.5 months, the railway ministry has already implemented a cumulative 20 per cent fare increase. The previous increments occurred on August 10th (10 per cent) and September 2nd. 

    This decision by Pakistan Railways closely follows an earlier announcement this month, wherein a 5 per cent fare increase was revealed for all shuttle, passenger, express, and inter-city trains. 

    These adjustments coincide with a recent decision by the caretaker government to raise petroleum product prices by up to Rs14 per litre. This move is seen as contradictory to previous promises of relief to the general populace. 

    Of particular note is the substantial increase in petrol and diesel prices, with petrol rising by Rs26.2 per litre to reach a new price of Rs331.38 per litre and diesel increasing by Rs17.34 per litre, now priced at Rs329.18 per litre. 

    Within the span of just one month, the caretaker government has raised petrol prices by Rs58 per litre and diesel prices by Rs56 per litre, raising concerns among economic experts regarding a potential fresh wave of inflation triggered by these drastic fuel price hikes. 

  • Pakistan Railways to reduce train fares by up to 10 per cent

    Pakistan Railways to reduce train fares by up to 10 per cent

    The Ministry of Railways has decided to lower fares by up to 5 to 10 per cent as a result of the recent drop in the cost of petroleum products.

    Samaa reports that Secretary of Railways Zafar Ranjha will preside over a meeting on Friday to review and announce the train fares.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif made an update to the discounted price schedule for petroleum products late on Thursday.

    The price of diesel is reduced by Rs40.54 and that of petrol by Rs18.50 per liter beginning on July 15.

    Khawaja Saad Rafique, the minister of railways, has given instructions to lower the train fare in light of the aforementioned discount.

    Earlier, to assist travellers on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, Pakistan Railways also offered a 30 per cent discount on train tickets. A notice posted before Eid noted that all customers travelling by train during the three days of Eid-ul-Azha would be eligible for the reduced tickets.

  • Railway uses 53 acres land to illegally build housing society

    Pakistan Railways used its land of 53 acres to construct the housing society for its employees which was allocated for railway purposes only, reports The Express Tribune.

    On Monday, it was revealed during the hearing of Sindh High Court that the land was primarily given for railways purposes but it turned to real estate against all regulations to provide accommodation to their employees.

    The petition was heard by a two-judge bench headed by Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput. Sindh Additional Advocate General Barrister Sheharyar Mehar informed about the government’s decision to the court.

    Shehryar Mehar said that the land consisting of 53 acres was given to the Railways for railway purposes but they did not use the land for the given purpose.

    Mehar added, “The Supreme Court has declared that railway land can only be used for the railway system.”

    He added, “We are taking back the land in the light of the decision of the Supreme Court.”

    Sindh High Court has ordered a reply from Pakistan Railways Corporation Housing Society and others on the response from the Sindh Government regarding usage of land which is adjacent to Safari Park in Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

    The next hearing will be held on December 21.

  • ‘Rs 620bn needed for Pakistan Railways’ total up-gradation,’ says Azam Swati

    ‘Rs 620bn needed for Pakistan Railways’ total up-gradation,’ says Azam Swati

    Railway Minister Azam Khan Swati on Wednesday said he needed Rs 620 billion for the total up-gradation of the Pakistan Railways, a few days after the fatal Ghotki train accident that claimed over 60 lives and injured over 100 passengers. 

    “I was at the site till the entire track was not restored,” said the minister, stating with regret that 63 people had died in the accident and 23 were being treated in hospitals for injuries. 

    Sharing details from the initial report, the minister said the black boxes from the trains had been retrieved. He added that work had not yet started on them for the probe, but reassured that a thorough investigation will be conducted. “It will take us at least three to four weeks,” he said, as reported in Dawn.

    “The accident occurred due to the 12 bogies being derailed,” he said, explaining that bogies of the Millat Express train had shifted to the other track.

    “I saw the signs of brakes on the tracks myself,” Swati said, adding that there was a need to do a lot more.

    Swati said relatives of the deceased will be given Rs 1.5 million by the government as compensation, adding that every injured person will be provided Rs300,000 by the authorities. Swati said that no value could be placed on the injured and the lives lost, adding that they were “precious” and “priceless”.

  • After hundreds of train accidents, casualties in two years, PM says ‘role of railways crucial for Naya Pakistan’

    After nearly 200 major and minor train accidents that have caused hundreds of casualties since the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) took reins of the country in 2018, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has said that the role of Pakistan Railways is “crucial” in the journey to Naya Pakistan.

    Speaking at the inauguration of the Hassan Abdal Railway Station in Attock, the premier underlined that across the world, trains were a cheap and comfortable way to travel.

    “Railways are important because it’s a commute for the poor and common people of Pakistan,” he said.

    “Unfortunately, we did not develop the railway system provided by the British,” PM Imran said, adding that for the first time, the largest investment to Pakistan Railways was coming through the ML-1.

    ML-1 or Main Line 1 is one of the four main railway lines in Pakistan. The Karachi-Peshawar Railway Line begins from Karachi City station or Kiamari Station and ends at Peshawar Cantonment Station. The total length of this line is 1,687 kilometers with 184 railway stations.

    The line serves as the main passenger and freight line of the country as it is used by 75% of both sorts of rail traffic. It is currently undergoing a six-year Rs886.68 billion upgrade and renovation as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with average rail speeds expected to be doubled to 160 kilometers per hour upon completion.

    The premier said the journey from Karachi to Lahore through ML-1 would come down to seven hours, and the project “will be an important step towards self-reliance”.

    Railways would play an important role in Pakistan’s economic development, he remarked.

    RAILWAYS SINCE 2018:

    While the premier has highlighted the significance of railways for the materialisation of his dream of a new Pakistan, it merits a mention that a significant spike in train accidents over the past two years has further marred the department’s safety record.

    According to Dawn, over 100 train-related incidents, including some fatal accidents took place in 2019 besides 111 incidents of engine failure within the first five months of the year alone.

    These come on top of minor derailment incidents at least one of which is reported every week with the last reported three weeks ago near Ghotki in Sindh.

    Here’s a list of major untoward incidents involving trains since 2018…

    September 16, 2018:

    Nine bogies of the Peshawar-bound Khushal Khan Khattak Express from Karachi derailed near Attock. 20 passengers were injured.

    September 27, 2018:

    Another Peshawar-bound train derailed in which 11 bogies overturned in Sehwan, Sindh.

    December 18, 2018:

    At least 12 children were injured as a passenger train crashed into a school van near Narowal in Punjab. Local witnesses said the accident happened due to dense fog and because the gate at the crossing was left open.

    June 9, 2019:

    As many as 23 bogies of a Karachi-bound freight train derailed in Sukkur.

    June 20, 2019:

    Three people were killed when a passenger train collided with a stationary cargo train in Makli Shah near Hyderabad.

    July 11, 2019:

    A Quetta-bound train collided with a cargo train near Sadiqabad in Punjab, killing 24 people and injuring over 100 others. The accident was later found to be caused by a delay in switching the train tracks.

    October 31, 2019:

    Fire engulfed a train near Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab, killing 65 people. The cause of the incident was discovered to be a gas explosion. A canister had been carried by passengers to cook on the train amid the authorities’ failure to keep a check on the travellers’ luggage.

    February 28, 2020:

    At least 19 people were killed when a train collided with a passenger bus near Sindh’s Rohri.

    July 3, 2020:

    At least 20 people died and ten others were injured when Shah Hussain Express collided with a bus near Sachcha Sauda Railway Station in Sheikhupura. Most victims were members of the Pakistani Sikh community.

  • Pakistan Railways removes first woman station manager within hours of appointment

    Pakistan Railways removes first woman station manager within hours of appointment

    Syeda Marzia Al-Zahra, who was appointed as Pakistan’s first-ever woman station manager in Lahore was removed from her position by Pakistan Railways a few hours after her appointment.

    As per reports, a union of station masters allegedly severely opposed her appointment and threatened to protest against the admin if the notification was not cancelled.

    Speaking to Independent Urdu, Union Central Chairman Muhammad Irfan said it was against the law and the civil rights of station masters.

    However, Zahra said that she would continue supervising the office of station manager being ATO-1 of the PR’s Lahore division under the law.

    “Though I cannot look after the post now under the new notification, I being an ATO-1, can exercise my authority to supervise this post. And I will do this. Office of Lahore Cantt station master also comes under my supervision,” she explained.

  • Pakistan Railways appoints first woman station manager

    Pakistan Railways appoints first woman station manager

    The Lahore railway station has hired a woman officer as station manager for the first time in its history.

    Railway authorities have appointed Lahore Assistant Transport Officer (ATO) Syeda Marzia Al-Zahra as the station manager of Lahore railway station. She has replaced the additional charge of station manager Lahore from station master Lahore Cantt Younis Bhatti.

    As per reports, Syeda Marzia is the first woman station manager of Pakistan Railways (PR).

    Meanwhile, the Railway Sampars Union protested the appointment. Union Central Chairman Muhammad Irfan, while expressing reservations over the appointment, said that the union would protest if the notification was not cancelled.

  • Railways CEO differs on Rasheed’s claim, says Tezgam fire broke out due to short circuit

    Railways CEO differs on Rasheed’s claim, says Tezgam fire broke out due to short circuit

    Pakistan Railways (PR) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Muhammad Leghari has differed on Federal Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad’s claim and said that the deadly Tezgam Express fire from last year broke due to a short circuit and the gas cylinder only exploded later on.

    As many as 73 passengers were killed, with 90 per cent of them burnt alive, and over 40 others injured when three coaches of the Rawalpindi-bound train caught fire near Liaquatpur in October 2019. The incident was called one of the most horrifying tragedies in PR’s history.

    According to the ministry, the fire was caused by a cylinder blast that occurred when passengers were preparing breakfast for themselves in a moving train, a claim heavily disputed by eye-witnesses. People had widely demanded Rasheed’s resignation while the minister himself had suspended a couple of officers on account of criminal negligence and letting passengers carry gas cylinders on the ill-fated train.

    With Rasheed making headlines as Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed observed that the minister should have resigned after the tragedy, and said that shutting down PR would be better than keeping it running under Rasheed, PR CEO Leghari’s claims have raised eyebrows over the government’s side of the story.

    Speaking to a private media outlet, Leghari said that the fire broke out when an electric kettle in a dining car of the train, malfunctioned. “It was an illegal power connection from another coach,” he said, adding that the fire engulfed the entire coach, which led to the cylinder explosion.

  • Lahore-Wagah train service to resume after 22 years on Dec 14

    Lahore-Wagah train service to resume after 22 years on Dec 14

    After a gap of almost 22 years, the train service, with a capacity of carrying 181 passengers, between Lahore and Wagah Railway Station will resume operations on December 14.

    According to the chief operating superintendent of Pakistan Railways Aamir Baloch, “The shuttle train will provide commute for the passengers desiring to witness the flag ceremony in the evening. Pakistan Rangers on Wagah border and Indian Border Force on the other side will manage the security affairs.”

    Baloch shared that all arrangements for running the train have been completed.

    The train will make four detours and its fare is fixed at Rs30. Two passenger coaches and the engine of the train have been overhauled and renovated using resources of the railways’ department.

    The train was operational between Wagah to Lahore since the partition till 1997 after which the service was closed due to certain operational and security reasons.

    “The train will start from Lahore railway station and will take two up-down rounds each in the morning and the evening,” Baloch said.

    Baloch said the railways decided to revive the service on a daily basis to provide convenient and affordable transportation facilities to the people coming to Jallo Park in Lahore and Wagah.

    If there is an increase in the demand, more passenger boogies could be renovated and added to the shuttle service.

    Meanwhile, plans to extend the service to Shahdara railway station, Kot Lakhpat and Kot Radha Krishan railway station for the convenience of the passengers is also being considered.

  • Railways’ Rs213 million reduced to ashes in train fire

    Railways’ Rs213 million reduced to ashes in train fire

    Pakistan Railways (PR) has suffered a loss of whopping Rs213 million as three of Tezgam’s carriages were reduced to ashes in the fire that shook the entire nation on Thursday, a private media outlet reported.

    At least 74 people were killed and over 40 others injured after three gas cylinders exploded in a train travelling from Karachi to Rawalpindi. The fire destroyed three of the train’s carriages, including two economy class carriages and one business class carriage.

    Footage over both mainstream and social media showed flames engulfing the ill-fated train as people cry for help following the mishap near Punjab’s Rahim Yar Khan district.

    It wasn’t later that Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed blamed passengers for the fire, while people across the country stepped up to condemn the minister’s remarks and accuse PR of criminal negligence.

    “It isn’t PR’s fault and passengers are to be blamed for it,” the minister said while speaking to journalists after the tragedy.

    “It is unfortunate that passengers take cylinders with them. They don’t fear the law,” he said, adding that several people jumped to their deaths from the burning train.

    While Rasheed promised an inquiry to ascertain how the passengers had managed to carry cylinders with them, his statements were not very well received by the people who demanded the minister’s resignation amid rising number of train mishaps.