FAISALABAD: Instead of making Railway tracks across the country secure, people at the helm of affairs penalise the department’s lower employees in case of any accident or sabotage.

A terrorism case against two railway employees -- signal sub-engineer and a point man -- following the derailment of Badar Express at Chak Jhumra on Nov 7 last is an example of such attitude on the part of authorities.

Pakistan Railway Prem Union central president Mohammad Anwar said this at a press conference at the railway station on Wednesday.

He claimed both employees had been implicated in the case and were held responsible for the derailment.

He said PR chief executive officer Javeed Bobak had been informed of the situation and he would constitute a three-member committee comprising senior officers to probe into the matter again thoroughly.

On Nov 13 last, Signal Engineer Asadullah and Point Man Mohammad Ali were booked by the Railway police under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and Railway Act following the derailment of Badar Express.

Asad is in police custody while Ali is still at large.

A case was registered on the complaint of Ibrar Ahmed, Division Signal Engineer Ahmed claimed that during inquiry Asad was found responsible for the derailment which damaged the train.

Mr Anwar said the government should protect the railway tracks like the motorway to avoid accidents, adding that making “innocent” employees scapegoat was condemnable.

Central deputy chief organiser of the union, Khalid Mehmood, told Dawn that a delegation of the union met Mr Bobak on Tuesday last in Lahore and took up the issue with him.

He said Asad had completed his duty from 7am to 5pm on Nov 6 last, while the derailment took place on Nov 7 at 6am.

“Derailment of the Badar Express was just an accident,” Mehmood insisted.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2015