THIS refers to prolonged delays and poor customer service by Pakistan Railways. I recently had a bad experience while travelling along with three family members by Shalimar Express from Karachi Cantonment Station to Sadiqabad on Oct 14.

I was constantly tracking the train a day earlier through an android app. According to the app information, the train was more than five hours late and had not arrived at Karachi from Lahore. I expected some professionalism from the railways and thought there would be some alternative arrangements. I, therefore, reached the railway station before the scheduled departure time.

To our utter disappointment, there was no information desk to announce the delay in the departure of the train. We came to know from police staff and porters that the train would depart two hours late from its scheduled time as it had to be ‘washed’.

We kept waiting for five hours while the train left the platform at about 11am. Due to the lack of reliable official information, hundreds of passengers, including toddlers, senior citizens and women, were stranded on the station.

The minister concerned is requested to look into such matters because they really need his serious attention.

Salar Lateef
Karachi

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2020