LAHORE: Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Saturday claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan had refused even a monarch’s request to extend relaxation to jailed ex-premier Nawaz Sharif.

He held Maryam Nawaz responsible for what he called the PML-N’s downfall.

“A monarch requested Mr Khan to let Nawaz go. But he flatly refused. Yet, the monarch sent money to support Pakistan financially,” he told a press conference.

Commenting on the premier’s upcoming visit to the United States, Sheikh Rashid said Mr Khan and Donald Trump had similar temperament and attitude. “Let’s see what happens, as both Imran and Trump have the same attitude. Hopefully, it would be a good visit.”

The minister said, “The video of the [accountability] judge has shown that Maryam Nawaz is responsible for the PML-N’s destruction. The politics of video has ended.”

He announced that no new trains would be launched after the Mianwali Express on July 19. “I have launched 35 new trains. It increased our revenue as well as travelling facilities to a growing number of passengers. The officials, who are against launch of new trains, actually don’t want to work.”

He admitted that a massive expansion in the operation of Pakistan Railways had battered rail tracks.

“At present 136 passenger and 36 freight trains are operational. It’s necessary to generate revenue and reduce the losses,” he replied when asked as to why new trains had been launched even though the tracks were in bad condition. He said tenders for the rehabilitation of the tracks would be floated soon. Mr Ahmed said that the team probing the Akbar Express accident had found the driver, assistant driver and the assistant station master responsible for the tragedy and recommended action against them.

At least 23 people were killed while 84 others were injured when Akbar Express collided with a freight train at the Walhar Railway Station in Sadiqabad on Thursday.

The minister said the PR administration had decided to finalise all pending inquiries into the accidents within one month and award punishments to those found to guilty of negligence or maladministration. He said new drivers, who were shortlisted, would be asked to immediately report to their respective divisions for training. He said the shortage of coaches would be overcome through refurbishment of over 100 old ones.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2019