HARIPUR: The residents of Hazara division have demanded the restoration of the Hazara Express train service.

The service was suspended 75 days ago to stem the spread of coronavirus.

The Hazara Express train takes people from down country, especially Karachi and Lahore, to Havelian in Hazara division.

The residents told Dawn that they suffered travel problems due to the suspension of train service.“The suspension of Hazara Express service has stressed out the rail passengers of eight districts of Hazara division from Haripur to Kohistan,” said Dolat Khan of Haripur.

He said train was the most affordable, preferable and respectable mode of transportation for the people of Hazara division.

“During each trip, the Hazara Express train often used to fill to capacity, so the people of Hazara are the worst hit by the suspension of its service,” he said.

The resident said the Pakistan Railways had restored train service in most parts of the country but the repeated requests of the people of Hazara division were ignored without justification.

Nawaz Khan of Havelian said hundreds of the residents of Hazara division, who were settled in Karachi for work, remained stranded first due to lockdown and currently due to the suspension of Hazara Express train service.

He demanded the restoration of the train service under standard operating procedures to check the spread of coronavirus.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2020