LAHORE: Most catering contractors of Pakistan Railways (PR) not only provide food but can also ‘arrange’ seats for passengers in trains and claim “they do not charge extra for the extra service.”

The ‘parallel’ reservation system has once again come to fore as recently a passenger and his family could not be accommodated in the AC coach of Millat Express in spite of ‘buying’ six berths from the catering contractor of the train.

Javaid had to go to Karachi in ‘emergency’ along with five members of his family on Oct 16. At the Faisalabad railway station, he was approached by Tariq Hameed, an employee of contractor Habib, with the promise to arrange reservation in the AC coach. Hameed took Javaid to train manager Muhammad Saleem who took Rs18,000 and made the family sit in the AC coach.

A single journey in Millat Express AC coach costs Rs3,000 per person between Faisalabad and Karachi.

“Soon after the train left the Faisalabad station, we were asked to come to the dining car as some VIPs had come. We were told that the VIPs would disembark at Khanewal and we would again be sent to the AC coach. However, in spite of protest we had to sit in the dining car till we reached Karachi,” said Javaid.

At the Karachi railway station, Javaid was offered Rs10,000 by contractor Habib as he (Javaid) had somehow managed to get the cell number of the railways chief executive officer and apprised him of the whole episode through an SMS. “Habib forcibly snatched my cell phone and returned it after seizing its SIM,” said Javaid.

Meanwhile, railways CEO Javed Anwar has ordered a thorough inquiry on the complaint of his namesake and PR Lahore divisional authorities have summoned the train manager, conductor guard, special ticket examiners and other staff on board Millat Express on Oct 16 to Lahore.

According to railway officials, dining contractors Tariq Hameed and Muhammad Saleem had been involved in black-marketing of rail tickets in the past and a case had also been registered against them in the PR Multan division.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2015

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