SIALKOT, Jan 1: Passengers stranded at Sialkot and other railway stations in this district are facing a great deal of difficulty in getting their tickets refunded owing to unavailability of cash at railways reservation offices, and officials are issuing them simple receipts and advising them to collect their money not sooner than Jan 4.

The rail service to and from Karachi has been suspended in the wake of assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi, in an arson attack followed by a suicide bomb blast on Dec 27.

Allama Iqbal Express (9-Up/10Down) runs between Karachi and Sialkot and caters to a large number of passengers of Sialkot and neighbouring Narowal district.

A large number of passengers visit booking offices at Sialkot, Chawinda and Pasrur railway stations to get their tickets refunded or their travelling itinerary rescheduled. They have already undergone the trauma of cancellation of their scheduled plans.

“Yes, we are collecting all tickets back from passengers scheduled to travel after Dec 28 and issue them simple receipts and advise them to visit Sialkot railway station on Jan 4 for getting their tickets refunded or re-scheduled,” PR officials told Dawn at the Sialkot reservation counter.

The officials said owing to lack of funds and unavailability of cash at almost all reservation counters in the district, they had no other option except to issue simple receipts to already frenzied passengers in order to pacify them.

He said they would start reimbursing the passengers as soon as the PR high-ups provided them requisite funds.

He said the restoration of railway traffic to and from Karachi was likely after a week time.

Sakeena Bibi and Muzaffar Ishaq of Karachi, Amjad Qureshi, Khalid Mahmood of Pasrur, Maqsood Butt of Chawinda and Bashiran Bibi of Narowal were among many stranded passengers who told their miseries to this scribe at Sialkot railway station.