Senate chairman takes the train to travel from Islamabad to Lahore
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In a break from the more favoured modes of transportation by public office-holders, the newly elected Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani chose the Pakistan Railways to travel from Islamabad to Lahore on Sunday.
While Chairman Sanjrani chose not to speak to the media during the train journey, he interacted with other passengers and took pictures with some of the commuters.
Pakistan Railways issued a statement thanking the custodian of the upper house of the parliament for choosing its service.
He was welcomed by Railways Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mohammad Javed Anwar and Divisional Superintendent Sufiyan Sarfaraz Dogar who presented the Senate chairman with a flower bouquet on behalf of Railways Minister Saad Rafique.
Sanjrani will visit the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal and participate in a wedding ceremony of his relative while in Lahore.
Pakistan Railways used to have special VIP saloons which could be used by the president, prime minister, chairman Senate, speaker National Assembly, federal, provincial ministers, advisers, services chiefs, federal ombudsman, chief election commissioner, governors and top railway officials.
Over time, however, top officials have opted not to travel in trains and instead prefer air and road as preferred mediums of transportation, owing in part to the railways' deteriorating services.
Currently, the Supreme Court is looking into alleged irregularities in Pakistan Railways after it took a suo motu against annual losses of the department.
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On DawnNews
Comments (47) Closed
Apr 15, 2018 04:06pm
Such a humble guy People from balochistan are generally very down to earth
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Apr 15, 2018 04:12pm
Welcome to the club of ordinary people. Keep it up and hang on tough.
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Apr 15, 2018 04:13pm
Let’s every body starts using our trains but problem is all the earnings will end up in pockets of corrupt officials , &ministers. What’s solution?
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Apr 15, 2018 04:18pm
That is good. Thank You.
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Apr 15, 2018 04:21pm
Well done.. public servants are no different public.
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Apr 15, 2018 04:21pm
Did federal minister of railway ever travel by train.
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Apr 15, 2018 04:27pm
Good move, this will help Railway to get some respect.
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Apr 15, 2018 04:29pm
This is a good gesture and example for those who travel with lots of security and protocol cars to show off. Shame on such corrupt minded people who looted our nation and did very little for poor and common people - well done and setting a new example!
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Apr 15, 2018 04:31pm
so what?
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Apr 15, 2018 04:31pm
A good precedent set by Senate chairman! Hope this will help to change the system of protocol and lavish spending on trips by the ministers of poor country.
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Apr 15, 2018 04:32pm
Well done, it's a very positive move to really interact with the public. That also sets an example of a true leader of the public, while mixing with the public without any protocol and security. A similar attitude to expect from every member of the parliament and public service departments.
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Apr 15, 2018 04:37pm
Another political drama, why not take the train all the way to Karachi, only then you will be able to experience the plight of a common man.
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Apr 15, 2018 04:40pm
A nice gesture hope he will opt the same transportation for travel towards Quetta
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Apr 15, 2018 05:06pm
In London it’s normal for top politicians to travel by train and they don’t receive bouquet from journeys A to B etc and I think far too many perks are given to public servants in Pak which are going back to colonial era. In Uk not many politicians get car or any privileges like servants and in Pak even SHO gets his cook etc time for change
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Apr 15, 2018 05:17pm
Good Job Mr. Sanjrani!.
Slowly, but steadily our SC has started to remove the dakoos from our society. With them will also go this stupid VIP culture. Pakistan can then once again, under leaders who rise up from common folk, return to being a land of the people, by the people, for the people, where those who commit crimes against the nation are allowed to find salvation behind bars and never allowed to rob this nation again.
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Apr 15, 2018 05:28pm
Only interesting thing in this news item is the pagri of the fellow passenger
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Apr 15, 2018 05:30pm
This is good. Politicians should use public transport where possible.
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Apr 15, 2018 05:35pm
Senate Chairman takes the train, is it newsworthy?
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Apr 15, 2018 05:52pm
Senate Chairman who was no body Politically before I becoming Chairman Senate, now became attention seeker. Cheap publicly gimmick
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Apr 15, 2018 05:54pm
Good move by Senate Chairman,forgive my for my ignorance I thought Islamabad doesn't have a railway station?
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Apr 15, 2018 06:05pm
Good start. Real challenge is in maintaining this 'protocol' in the face of prevailing environment and general atmosphere. Full marks for trying.
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Apr 15, 2018 06:07pm
This is a good gesture but he is putting his security to risk.
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Apr 15, 2018 06:14pm
A highly appreciable and practical precedent for corrupt ruling elites
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Apr 15, 2018 06:21pm
Now this is a big change seen, highly appreciated move by the Chairman.
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Apr 15, 2018 06:22pm
It is a good news that high officials can travel in train without any fear of safety. It would be nice to see all Pakistanis using train systems, as they wish and travel safety.
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Apr 15, 2018 06:33pm
Thanks PMLN Khawaja Saad Rafique for revival of train.
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Apr 15, 2018 06:34pm
Publicity stunt. Your political standing is Z E R O
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Apr 15, 2018 06:54pm
That indicates that senate chairman trust the trains and its system. Trains are running good. Well done Saad Rafique
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Apr 15, 2018 07:27pm
What lovely and humble person SANJRANI is travelling ordinary,hope these most corrupted shameless thieves learn something.I doubt it.
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Apr 15, 2018 07:40pm
This is the type of leaders Pakistan needs in order to progress. I think parliamentarians should pass a law to bind all lawmakers by public transportation so they would know what difficulties commoners face.
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Apr 15, 2018 07:41pm
I hope this is not a one time show and he would continue this on a regular basis.
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Apr 15, 2018 07:53pm
Compare it to NS line of BMW and MDB to appear in court proceedings.
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Apr 15, 2018 07:54pm
All elected officials,specially cabinet members, should be forced to do the following :
1. Take public transport within the country (including buses and trains)
2. Send their children to government schools
3. Use the government hospitals when they or their immediate families have any medical issues.
That will automatically result in the services improving rapidly.
Using government funds for personal medical treatment abroad should result in automatic relinquishing of any elected seat by the individual.
Ah... wishful thinking !
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Apr 15, 2018 08:04pm
So what. Many UK Ministers also travel by London tube.
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Apr 15, 2018 08:06pm
@luke Shame on you!
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Apr 15, 2018 08:09pm
@Fareed N YES, Fareed.
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Apr 15, 2018 08:21pm
Welcome.
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Apr 15, 2018 08:31pm
Journey of the Senate Chairman was hitch-free which means Railways have really improved.
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Apr 15, 2018 08:33pm
A good start - to see the real people from real distance from reality through rial times.....!!!
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Apr 15, 2018 08:39pm
This is what you call a gutsy leader.A common man representing common folks going about setting an example for those who travel in motocades and are crazy about protocols and security.Well done sir,you are a truly patriotic and parsimonious chairman and we respect you a lot.
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Apr 15, 2018 08:40pm
Once upon a time, leaders like Z. A. Bhutto used to travel by train from Rawalpindi to Lahore and Karachi...then the "Godfather mafia" took over the country and rest is history!
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Apr 15, 2018 08:41pm
The real peoples leaders in Europe take trains all the time!
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Apr 15, 2018 09:22pm
Nothing new! We have seen all mighty riding bicycle in this country and all ended in fireball in skies. We do not learn from history.
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Apr 15, 2018 10:01pm
If he has done it without intentions of any political point scoring/publicity then it may be regarded as the sign of a prospering nation where leaders live like a common person and understand their common problems.
Hopefully, It seems a positive sign for a New Pakistan where different new things are happening now-a-days like elimination of corrupt leaders by supreme court and revival of International Cricket along with improved security conditions.
We should as individuals take such steps that may prove fruitful in the development of a better nation.
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Apr 16, 2018 12:16am
I agree. Great beginning .
I hope others follows this tradition.
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Apr 16, 2018 03:44am
Well done Mr. Sadiq. Salam from Los Angeles. I hope you will go down in the history of Pakistan as a clean patriotic, gentleman of politics.
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Apr 16, 2018 09:18am
@Zambanum well said sir
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