LAHORE, May 23: Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmad came to the rescue of the low-grade employees of his department on Tuesday by intervening in the dispute of late surcharge payment with the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) to prevent disconnection of supply to four of its residential colonies in Lahore.

“Rest assured I would never let any innocent railway worker suffer. I will do all I can for them. The payment issue with the SNGPL authorities has been resolved,” the minister told this reporter by phone.

The SNGPL had on Monday threatened to disconnect gas supply to the colonies at Shahdara, railway headquarters, loco shed and the Mayo Gardens quarters because no one from the railways turned up to resolve the issue of Rs228.582 million in late payment surcharge.

The matter was brought to the knowledge of the minister who contacted the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to stop the SNGPL from disconnecting gas supply to the colonies which house families of low-grade employees of the Pakistan Railways.

The SNGPL called its team back which were sent to disconnect gas supply.