LAHORE, Aug 8: Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Sayed Zahid Hussain on Friday directed a railway director (technical) to appear in person and explain his absence from the court despite a court order.

The judge, who was hearing a petition challenging suspension of train service on Narowal-Chak Amru section, ordered this when a deputy attorney general informed him that the official did not turn up although he had been informed about the court order.

Earlier, in its reply, the Pakistan Railways informed the chief justice that it had to suspend the train service because the track was broken and the Railway Ministry did not give funds for its rehabilitation.

Petitioner Chaudhry Abdul Razzaq says he is a resident of Lahore, but frequently visits Shakargarh to see his relatives and meet his business associates. He says the rail track, which was laid between Narowal and Chak Amru (Shakargarh tehsil) about a century ago, lost its shape about 10 years ago and all trains running on it were suspended about eight years ago. He says that now uprooted girders and wooden planks of the track are being stolen. He says when the railway has improved its service in other parts of the country it has ignored the stretch between Narowal and Shakargarh.

The railway said in its reply that the train service was suspended on the track on July 18, 2001 to minimise losses.

The railway said it had decided to run a train on this track on Sundays from April 15, 2002. It said the train service was suspended temporarily between Narowal and Chak Amru on Aug 30, 2005 because of the broken track, adding a plan had been evolved to restore the track and run trains on it.

STAY ORDER: The Lahore High Court on Friday issued another stay order in favour of seven more prosecutors who challenged the Punjab government’s order on their removal from service.