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| September 12, 2005 | Monday | Sha’aban 7, 1426 |
Minister says PR board executive body illegal
LAHORE, Sept 11: Minister of State for Railways Ishaq Khan Khakwani says the PR Board executive committee has no legal basis at all. The committee is scheduled to meet on Monday (today) at the PR headquarters while the railway high-ups on Sunday discussed and finalized certain working papers for the meeting during an ‘informal get-together’ at a Mayo Gardens rest house.
“A lot of irregularities are taking place in the Pakistan Railways in the name of PR board executive committee,” Mr Khakwani told Dawn on Sunday.
“Two weeks ago, I sent a note to the railways chairman asking him let me know the basis of the formation of the executive committee; from where does it draw its legal authority?
“I still await his reply,” said engineer Khakwani who has been in the railways for quite some time.
“I have also verbally told him that a lot of things with financial repercussions are taking place in the railways through the executive committee which is totally in violation of the existing rules.
“Also, there are certain projects that are being put up for approval of the executive committee which is not the correct forum,” the minister said.
In case the rules and regulations were not made available, he said, the matter would be placed before the higher authorities... “There are a number of specific examples which will be brought to the notice of the higher authorities.
“It is the intent of the present government to follow rules and regulations and adhere to the basic principle of transparency in its working, especially if it has financial implications,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, sources said the rest house meeting finalized working papers on the transfer of Mayo Gardens management, commercial management and passenger facilitation at major railway stations, starting with Hyderabad, Rawalpindi and Peshawar to the Pakistan Railway Advisory and Consultancy Services Ltd.
They said modalities of handing over more freight and one prestigious train to the PRACS also came under discussion.
Convened by Minister for Railways Mian Shamim Haider, the meeting was attended by PR Board Chairman Shakil Durrani, General Manager (Operations) Abdul Wahab Awan and other senior officers of the organization, sources said. Some officials termed the meeting an informal get-together while others called it a preparatory session for the PR board executive committee meeting.
PRACS managing director Ishfaq Khattak said the meeting had nothing to do with his organization. “No matter concerning the PRACS was discussed during the meeting convened by PR Board Chairman Shakil Durrani. Later, Minister Shamim Haider also joined us and we discussed matters other than the PRACS.”
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