LAHORE: Ninety nine per cent of seats have been reserved by the Eidul Fitr commuters in all trains, including the special ones being operated ahead of the festive occasion.

The Pakistan Railways (PR) would run 10 special trains from July 3 for the Eid commuters, leaving for their hometowns, an official said on Thursday. Additional coaches would also be attached with every train to deal with the Eid rush while security has also been enhanced at railway stations, in the moving trains and other installations. Special trains from Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Malakwal and Lahore would benefit some 30,000 people.

Railway police commandos have been deployed on passenger trains running from Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Quetta and other major railway stations on a recent directive by Railway Inspector General (IG) Munir Ahmad Chishti.

Through a letter, the IG directed superintendents of police to deploy the maximum personnel for foolproof security. No platform should be left unattended and beggars should not be allowed there. Entry and exit points to the railway installations should be properly manned and incoming passengers and their luggage be checked with metal detectors at railway stations, the IG said.

Meanwhile, the railways police also enhanced the number of personnel in civvies in the moving trains from six to 10. Patrol by the railways policemen is being regularly conducted within the area of the railway police jurisdiction. A joint trolley patrol with railways officials is being undertaken while pilot engines are also being run ahead of main trains in sensitive areas to avert any untoward incident. The railway police will regularly check the patrol by the railways gangmen.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2016