KOHAT: Railways divisional engineer Ali Mohammad has said that there is no technical reason behind the suspension of Kohat- Rawalpindi rail service.

He was talking to Dawn about a report he had submitted to the railways headquarters about starting the railcar service, which was suspended in 2011. Federal Minister for Railways Saad Rafique had sought a report on the issue after meeting a delegation from Kohat.

Ali Mohammad said that a technical team had checked the track between Kohat and Jand a few days ago and had found two weak points of negligible nature. Meanwhile, the heavier goods train continues to ply on the track safely and regularly.

“I have submitted the report to the headquarters with suggestions to strengthen the two weak locations on the 186-kilometre long track. The federal minister will give approval to restart the service keeping in view the need of the people and continuing protest,” the railway official said.

Members of a social organisation, Karwan-i-Amal, had met with Saad Rafique in this regard a few days ago, as people were protesting at the Kohat railway station on the seventh Sunday in a row for acceptance of the popular demand of starting the service.

They said that the minister after three hours meeting with them ordered his staff to get technical and financial viability report from the Kohat divisional headquarters so that the service could be restarted.

On the other hand, the railway station remained occupied by the protesters on the seventh consecutive Sunday in a row.

They also whitewashed the five kilometers track, planted trees along it and pasted paintings on the walls.

They said that they would stage a protest on every Sunday till the rail service was re-launched.

It may be recalled that the service was running in profit, but not up to the expectations of the PR department.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2016