JHANG, Feb 24: Opinion leaders belonging to different walks of life here have strongly reacted to the decision to cancel the Rohi express operation between Rawalpindi and Samasata, passing through Shah Jewna , Jhang and Shorkot Cantt, by the railway authorities.

The decision had adversely affected the people belonging to low-income groups in Jhang, depriving them of a cheaper and faster mode of travel to the capital from Saddar and other parts of the district, observed Haji Muhammad Ali, the Anjuman Tajran Jhang president, while talking to Dawn.

He condemned the railway authorities for taking the decision, as earlier only a few months ago they had diverted another express train, Chenab Express, to some other route, depriving the people of Jhang of a direct and cheaper mean of travelling between Rawalpindi and Karachi.

Both the trains were running in profit, and there was no plausible reason for their being stopped or diverted, Major (R) Wasif Ali, a former chairman of district public safety commission, said.

After the cancellation of the train operation, the passengers aspiring to go to places like Malakwal, Mandi Bahauddin, Kharian, Jehlum and Gujjar Khan have been left with no direct means of travel, and they will have to board connecting buses to go there.

The opening of motorway saw the arrival of a large number of air-conditioned buses on the route, but it did not affect the business of Rohi Express as a majority of passengers could not afford to pay the exorbitant fares of the AC buses.

The railways authorities, keeping in view the popularity of Rohri Express, had decided to divert another express train, Chenab Express, from Faisalabad to this route in 1999 even after the inauguration of the motorway.

The authorities, first diverted Chenab Express to its old route and now quite mysteriously, had altogether stopped Rohi Express, without making any alternative arrangement for the people of Jhang, concerned citizens observed.

They also accused a local transporter-cum-politician of playing an instrumental role in pressurising the railway authorities to stop the train. They urged the president of Pakistan, the Punjab governor and railway minister to immediately withdraw the decision.