QUETTA, Jan 15: The Pakistan Railways (PRs) has sought magisterial powers for its three divisional officers for tackling the problem of land encroachment by a land mafia in the city.

Pakistan Railways Chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Saeed-uz-Zafar discussed the issue with Balochistan Home Secretary Amjad Ali Khan during a meeting, held here on Monday.

Mr Zafar informed home secretary that with the implementation of the devolution programme, magisterial powers of the PRs magistrates had been withdrawn.

Big lands of the Railways had been illegally occupied by different people and the land mafia, he said, adding that after the withdrawal of the magisterial powers, the PRs magistrates were facing great problems in getting the lands vacated.

The issue of the safety of 36 tunnels of the PRs between Quetta and Sibi and other sections was also discussed at the meeting. Mr Zafar informed Mr Khan that many Levies guards had been found absent from duty during a recently-paid surprise visit to the tunnels between Quetta and Bolan.

He called upon the provincial authorities concerned to take measures to ensure the safety of the tunnels and the rails in the province.

The home secretary said 45 more Levies men were needed for the protection of the tunnels.

Mr Khan later visited a dry port at the Quetta Railway Station, where the managing-director of the Lahore Dry Port, Brig (retd) Akbar Khan Niazi, informed him about a development plan for the Quetta Dry Port.

Facilities at the dry port had been improved with a cost of Rs2.4 million to handle 90 railway wagons daily by laying an additional track in the port, he said and added that a mini-dry port would be established in Chaman.