LAHORE: Federal Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati says that Pakistan Railways (PR) will collapse the day the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government begins politicising it.

“Our country is in deficit. And this is a department from the Victorian era that needs to be modernised with (the help of) state-of-the art intervention or automation,” said Mr Swati while talking to journalists at PR’s Mughalpura workshop here on Sunday.

“If we do politics and avoid focusing on modernising it, the railways will drown as the Victorian system cannot work any longer,” the minister said. He said he wouldn’t give PTI flags in the hands of railway workers.

Mr Swati expressed grave concern over the living conditions of the workers, adding that he would try to provide new houses to them.

Says workers will be provided new houses

“The biggest officer in my ministry will be the worker,” he said. “My first priority, in line with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision, will be to give the workers new houses.”

He was of the opinion that once the workers’ living conditions improved, PR would become a profitable state-owned entity. He said he was paying from his own pocket for staying at a rest house in Lahore.

Turning to other problems being faced by the department, the minister said he was observing everything minutely. “I have heard that the issue of electricity meters is causing a loss of Rs2 billion per annum. So, this year we will save this money by resolving this issue.”

In response to a question, he said there would be no compromise on the issue of removing encroachments from PR land. “I believe that if we do politics on encroachments, the railways will never come out of this crisis. So I will try to reduce losses and increase revenue.

“I guarantee you that there will be no link between railways and politics. My relations will be used for the benefit of railways, as there will be neither politics nor external intervention in this department in future,” he said while addressing the officers during the meeting.

However, in response to a question about the Pakistan Democratic Movement at the press conference on Sunday, Mr Swati said the opposition had failed and the people had rejected its narrative. “The opposition must submit resignations immediately as we will hold by-elections after accepting their resignations.”

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2020