KARACHI: A lengthy protest by the workers of the Pakistan Railways at the Cantonment Railway Station’s diesel workshop on Monday resulted in the halting of train operations at the station for several hours.

Travellers waited for their respective trains to arrive on the platforms. Several of them were waiting with cranky children. Many passengers who had boarded their train also waited for it to move while sitting inside it in extreme heat. They also broke their fasts while waiting inside the trains or on the platforms.

The workers, who were protesting included Railways guards and shed workers. They were complaining of not having paid their salaries even after the passing of almost the entire month of March.

According to Manzoor Razi of the Railway Workers’ Union, the PR staff is paid in phases. “For example, some of them get paid on the 1st of the month, some on the 5th, some on the 10th and some on the 15th. But for the last two months, it has become customary for the Pakistan Railways headquarters to delay all workers’ salaries; therefore this protest,” the senior trade unionist told Dawn.

No one from the Pakistan Railways was available for comment regarding the matter.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2023