SUKKUR, March 16: Five passenger and 20 goods trains remained stranded at Rohri railway station for about two hours on Thursday following the protest of Pakistan Railways employees against transfer of four officials and freezing of overtime allowance.

Addressing the protesters, who had blocked the rail traffic, loco running staff welfare association deputy general secretary Mohammad Bux Khaki said that their overtime allowance remained frozen by the railway authorities for three years and despite several requests they were not releasing the payment.

He said that they had held a meeting with the Divisional Mechanical Engineer, Sukkur, Atta Mohammad Memon, on March 10 during which they had put their demands before the officer, but instead of releasing the payment the railway authorities transferred four office-bearers of the union to Lahore.

The protesters staged blocked the rail traffic for two hours, owing to which Karachi-bound Shalimar Express, Shah Rukn-i-Alam Express, Hazara Express, Kotri-bound Bedil passenger, Jacobabad-bound Budhal passenger trains and 20 goods trains remained stranded.

Later, the railway authorities rushed to the scene to hold negotiations with the union office-bearers, after which their demands were accepted and transfers of all the four officials were cancelled.

The authorities assured the employees that their dues of overtime allowance would be paid shortly, after which the protest was ended and rail traffic resumed.

BODY FOUND: A body of a 40-year-old man was found in a deserted place near Kandhkot on Wednesday night.