LAHORE: Keeping in view the ghost workers in the existing manpower, the Pakistan Railways (PR) has decided to instal a biometric system in collaboration with the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) to disburse salary/wages only to the genuine employees.

It was decided in a meeting presided over by Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi at the PR Headquarters here on Thursday. The meeting was attended by PITB chairman, PR chairman, chief executive officer and others.

“I just want that only genuine workers should get salaries. Therefore, the PITB should come forward to join hands with us for installation of a state-of-the-art biometric system at all offices of the department,” the minister said while talking to the PITB chairman. He asked the board to start working at the earliest.

On this occasion, the PR chairman told the minister and the PITB chief that the department had 58,000 employees, 95.5pc of them were in BPS-1 to 16 and the rest 0.5pc were in the officer grades—17 to 22. He said previously the staff strength was around 62,000 that came down to 58,000 due to rationalisation, retirement etc.

PR collaborates with PITB to get the system to disburse salaries

The PITB chairman assured the minister of full cooperation for installation of the system. A committee was also constituted to oversee the system installation and ensure its completion within stipulated time.

The minister asked the PITB chairman to help PR improve the existing Rabta app of the railways.

“There are many complaints that our app (online reservation, trains timing, tracking etc) is not user-friendly,” the minister explained, hoping that the changes might lead to increase tickets sale.

Earlier, while inspecting the facilities at the Lahore Railway Station, the minister reprimanded the officers for not getting AC installed in the waiting room.

“If the AC is yet to be installed in the waiting room despite my instructions, the officers should avoid using their ACs in their offices,” Mr Abbasi said with a direction to officers to ensure installation of AC as soon as possible. He was satisfied with cleanliness arrangements, food quality and rates at the station.

Meanwhile, the railways ministry has issued transfer/posting orders of its officers. Iffat Farooq, a BPS-20 officer awaiting posting, has been posted as financial adviser & chief accounts officer/revenues. Ziaul Islam Niazi, BPS-20, working as financial adviser, has been transferred and posted as director general in the office of auditor general railways. On promotion to BPS-21 and 20, various officers have also been transferred to various offices.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2025