RAWALPINDI: Caretaker Federal Minister for Railways Mrs Roashan Khursheed Bharucha on Wednesday said that the ministry would cooperate with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) if it wanted to check any record.

“We offer NAB investigators to come and see the working of the organisation,” she said while talking to newsmen at Rawalpindi Railways Station during her visit to divisional office.

The minister said there was no need to privatise the assets and land of Pakistan Railways as it was already facing financial problems. “If the railway land was given to any other department for construction of school, health facility or road, it should be on lease,” he said.

Praises Saad Rafique for improving condition of Pakistan Railways

“Pakistan Railways should not surrender its land to others,” she said.

She praised the former railway minister Khawaja Saad Rafique for taking some good steps for the improvement of Pakistan Railways.

Talking about the salaries of the Railway police, she said the government wanted to increase the salaries but the organisation was facing financial problems.

“Railways is paying pension from its own pocket,” she said.

She said that many things in Pakistan Railways were improved in last five year but still there was a room for improvement.

She said next government should continue the good policies for the betterment of departments and organizations.

She said the facilities to the passengers had improved.

Earlier, Caretaker federal minister for Railways Mrs Roshan Khursheed Bharucha was briefed about the working of Rawalpindi Railway Division at DS Office, Rawalpindi. She appreciated railway officers and railway police.

She was informed about organizational setup of Rawalpindi Division. Mr. Abdul Malik, DS Rawalpindi, informed the minister about the condition bridges and level crossings in the division.

As many as 10 level crossings were manned in Rawalpindi Division this year. Total 46 trains are running in the division on daily basis. Even a freight train from Attock Refinery to Muzaffargarh is operational.

“We have attained 97pc to 98pc punctuality of train,” he said.

The passengers also use e-ticketing for reservation. Rawalpindi division generates revenue through passenger trains, freight train, stalls, car parking, commercial and agricultural land and billboards on railway lands.

Almost 38 locomotives are used in this division. It also contains carriage and wagon depots in Rawalpindi, Lala Musa, Sargodha and Malakwal. Havelian dry port also comes under it. Margallah dry port is very much important for CPEC.

The Minister appreciated the neat and clean ambience of Rawalpindi Railway Station.

Later on she also listened to the complaints of common people and directed DS Rawalpindi to solve their issues. She also visited Golra Railway Museum.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2018