HYDERABAD, April 12: The Pakistan Railways’ cabin men demanded on Thursday pay raise and hard work allowance because they said they were the most overworked but underpaid employees of the railways department and the most important organ of the system.

Badaruddin, cabin man at Detha railway station, Miandad and Zaheer Khan working on Tando Adam-Hyderabad railway track said at a news conference at the press club that the department raised the salaries of yard staff and other employees working at the stations but completely ignored the poor cabin men although their work was more toiling than others.

They complained that they had been working without any rest or leave for the last five years and could neither attend any marriage ceremony nor any funeral of their close relatives. They said that in case their partner did not turn up they were compelled to work for 12 hours at a stretch.