NAROWAL, March 23: A number of passengers have complained about corruption and malpractice at the reservation office of the local railway station. They allege that no one can get a seat or a berth reserved at the railway station without bribing the reservation staff.

It is learnt that reservation clerks Mukhtar Hyder Shah and Mohammad Shafiq use to receive Rs50 for each seat and Rs100 for each berth of the Allama Iqbal Express, the only train running between Sialkot and Karachi via Narowal. Many passengers have lodged complaints with the railway highups, but to no avail.

A citizen, Aslam, alleged he got reserved seats for his sister-in-law and her children for Karachi three times and each time he had to bribe both the clerks.

Tariq and Ashraf of Takia Plot said they worked in Karachi and they had to give Rs100 as bribe to the clerks for reserving their seats for Karachi.

Another passenger, Habibullah, said he had lodged a complaint with the railway officers regarding corruption of the clerks some two months ago, but no action had so far been taken in this regard.

Local Human Rights Association vice-president Mian Mohammad Rafiq said he himself had confirmed complaints regarding corruption and malpractice at the reservation office.

He urged the railway highups to take action against the culprits.