January 02, 2008	Wednesday	Zilhaj 22, 1428

RAWALPINDI, Jan 1: Loss of assets has forced the Pakistan Railways to terminate the operations of two passenger trains from Rawalpindi to Lahore and Karachi, while full train service to Karachi remains suspended for an indefinite period.

Bhanbhore Express running between Rawalpindi and Karachi and Rawalpindi Express between Rawalpindi and Lahore will remain off the track due to acute shortage of coaches, a spokesman for the Pakistan Railways Rawalpindi Division told Dawn on Tuesday.

Pakistan Express, which left Rawalpindi for Karachi on Thursday - the day Benazir Bhutto was assassinated, was completely burnt together with the locomotive in the interior Sindh before it could reach its destination.

After losing 140 coaches and 19 locomotives during the four days of violence particularly in Sindh province, the Pakistan Railways is currently facing serious shortage of passenger coaches and locomotives, and it has decided to cut the number of coaches per train to run its limited operation.

The spokesman said Pakistan Express operating between Rawalpindi and Karachi would remain suspended indefinitely, and when train service would be restored, it would have a reduced number of coaches while the fare would be enhanced.

Pakistan Express is a popular train among all trains due to its low fare.

The recent violence has also disturbed the colour schemes of coaches and trains, and till the availability of full range of coaches, all trains will have multi-coloured coaches.

Pakistan Railways does not have in its stock stand-by coaches as every new coach manufactured in the Carriage Factory Islamabad or the Mughalpura Workshop is put on track and added to different trains.

In the meantime, informed sources said Pakistan Railways is yet to decide on the fate of burnt coaches.

Top managers of Pakistan Railways have gathered at the Pakistan Railways Headquarters in Lahore to take stock of the situation and measures to put the operation back on rails.

The burnt coaches are likely to be sent to the Carriage Factory Islamabad and the Mughalpura Workshop for refurbishment.

During the tenure of Sheikh Rashid Ahmad as the federal minister for railways, a record number of trains were introduced that not only increased the operating costs of Pakistan Railways but also exhausted the stand-by rolling stock.

The present situation is believed to be the worst in the history of Pakistan Railways.

Pakistan Railways is also considering terminating the railcar service between Rawalpindi and Attock and the Thal Express.

However, Pakistan Railways sources said every effort would be made to continue operating railcar service to Attock, which mostly catered to the needs of the labour class.

Thal Express operating between Rawalpindi and Multan via Kundian and Mianwali is also feared to be terminated.

The divisional office of Pakistan Railways in Rawalpindi refunded Rs4.6 million to 7,000 passengers against cancellation of trains between Rawalpindi and Karachi till December 31. About 4,000 passengers are still waiting for the refund, which could not be paid due to bank holiday.

Meanwhile, the rail link between Rawalpindi and Quetta has been restored with the departure of Quetta Express on Monday. However, Jaffer Express also operating between Rawalpindi and Quetta will remain suspended.