'Azadi march': Pakistan Railways dismisses PTI request for special train

Dawn.com Published August 5, 2014

LAHORE: The Pakistan Railways on Tuesday dismissed the application submitted by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) for provision of a special train to travel from Karachi to Rawalpindi on August 12.

The Pakistan Railways administration rejected the plea stating that due to the large influx of passengers travelling after summer vacations, it would be hard to arrange separate 14 compartments to accommodate the party workers.

PTI Member of the Provincial Assembly Khurram Sherzaman warned that if arrangement of the special train was not made for the PTI supporters then no one else would be allowed to travel by train.

The Karachi chapter of the PTI had requested PR to arrange for a special train and their application was then forwarded to the railway headquarters.

The PR headquarters inquired the feasibility from its police, operations and commercial subdivisions which expressed inability due to the issue’s political orientation, adding that the special train could only be arranged if the Sindh and Punjab government agreed to provide surplus security.

Earlier, the PTI Sindh chapter president Nadir Akmal Khan Laghari, had said that the government had resorted to dilly-dallying tactics in providing them a special train to travel to Rawalpindi from Karachi for which the party had applied 10 days back.

— Additional reporting by Rana Fawad

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Akram

Aug 05, 2014 12:56pm

what right has this man to threaten the railways service? Imran needs to discipline him. PTI should not turn in the Noon league.

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shahid

Aug 05, 2014 01:05pm

" if arrangement of the special train was not made for the PTI supporters then no one else would be allowed to travel by train." Anokha Ladla.

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srd

Aug 05, 2014 01:13pm

Pakistan has a Railway ????

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Aug 05, 2014 01:18pm

PTI Member of the Provincial Assembly Khurram Sherzaman warned that if arrangement of the special train was not made for the PTI supporters then no one else would be allowed to travel by train. Will Mr. Sherzaman also care to clarify, if PTI will also compensate the passengers/ businesses for the loss that they will suffer due to this action. Why is there a need for a special train? If the party workers are committed to attend the rally, I am pretty sure they will find a way of reaching Islamabad, be it through air, bus or personal transport. It is about time PTI actually starts to work for the benefit of this country, and stop crying foul over a 'robbed' mandate. We have other, more pressing, issues that need to be addressed on priority, rather than arranging for a special train.

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Mansoor

Aug 05, 2014 01:27pm

"If no special train no one would be allowed to travel", " if Imran Khan is arrested whole country would be blocked to stand still". Statements coming from PTI, supposed to be a democratic party, going for Azadi march which is going to be PEACEFUL.

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Spock

Aug 05, 2014 01:33pm

You cannot expect a government to help you to topple it. PR is not PTIs private property

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tayyaba

Aug 05, 2014 01:37pm

should a democrative leader threat a govt department?

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Saad

Aug 05, 2014 01:40pm

I agree with Akram . Some PTI Workers have started to show there true colors by using threats and warnings to get there demands met this must stop and Imran khan must take notice of such workers in the party. Pakistani politics need to learn from this quote : "We need to shift the paradigm from reactive technologies to more integrative solutions that deal with the variety and complexity of the threats that are out there today." by John W. Thompson

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rhazes

Aug 05, 2014 02:02pm

So you want the person you want to murder buy you a gun ??

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Sana

Aug 05, 2014 02:18pm

@Spock Nor PR is PML-N private property. And PTI workers are not travelling for free like Nawaz Sharif on state owned PIA.

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Hassan

Aug 05, 2014 02:29pm

@tayyaba PR did wrong by not providing train to PTI. As per PR traditions the train would reach Rawalpindi by 15th of August and there would be no problem for Nawaz government. PTI should avoid traveling through train in August due to heavy rains and incompetent railways management.

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Jalbani Baloch

Aug 05, 2014 02:48pm

Both PAT and PTI do not represent entire Pakistan. The former is an assembly of theocratic with no representation in the parliament, and the latter is a political party only confined to KPK and Punjab. So, both parties calling for change through undemocratic means, must not make such move that may derail the transition journey to full-scale democracy in Pakistan. I am sure, if this democratic path is allowed to continue in Pakistan, the people will understand the importance of their vote, and a better or new Pakistan will be built after replication of two ore more elections. I appeal to Mr. Imran Khan and Mr. Tahir-ul-Qadri to shun politics of confrontation and let the Govt. complete its tenure, which was also accepted by the chief of PTI and all other parties after the declaration of voting results.

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Intelligent Man

Aug 05, 2014 02:58pm

The real News is not " Pakistan Railways dismisses PTI request for special train" , but the real News is " THERE IS A RAILWAY IN PAKISTAN, LOL

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Intelligent Man

Aug 05, 2014 03:01pm

The real News is not that " Pakistan Railways dismisses PTI request for special train" , but the real News is that " There is a Railway in Pakistan ".

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fida sayani

Aug 05, 2014 03:10pm

PTI wants 14 compartment in a Karachi Lahore train for their Party workers, who is going to foot the bill. Railway authorities say they can not accommodate PTI request. PTI threatens Railway do as we tell you otherwise no one will be able to travel. High handedness and Ghonda tactics. Imran khan has become Pakistani Gandhi. Jinnah on hearing this must be turning in his grave.

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Sailay

Aug 05, 2014 03:40pm

Mai sadqay jawan! Hum Nahi to koi nahi. Yeh kon sa Aazadi march hai?

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Naseem

Aug 05, 2014 05:23pm

These are allegedly promising us a change. A leopard never changes its spots. People are being duped by numpties.

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Raj Patel

Aug 05, 2014 07:55pm

I have one suggestion to GOP. Give them a special train and than divert that train to somewhere else. Win win situation for both. Imran get train and Gov get relief.

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Adeel

Aug 05, 2014 08:12pm

They claim to bring change in Pakistan which would will consist of violence and anarchy.

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SMQ Zaman

Aug 06, 2014 11:36am

Well done, Mr Saad Rafique, Railways Minister, for rejecting PTI's application, how dare the PTI can request the Railways to provide them with a special train and then threaten to stop all other trains, if the facility is not provided (chori uper se seena zori - 'the pot is calling the kettle black', the English equivalent of this idiom or proverb in Urdu, which literally translates as ' theft, and then threatening behaviour')!

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