THE Hyder Bux Railway Station (Larkana district) once used to be a main source of supply of rice, wheat, vegetables and fish to various cities of Pakistan and other countries. As such, it used to generate a lot of revenue.

Alas, it is a shambles now the growers suffer in silence and their crops go to waste or get rotten. Similarly, the Moenjodaro Railway Station has a tale to tell. A cursory look tells you that the authorities have failed to provide even the basic amenities at this one-time much more used railway station.

Both the stations wore a deserted look when I reached there. Toilets were found locked and there was no rest-room for passengers. There is just one waiting hall where one can find the officer on duty sleeping.

Anwar Ali Abro, a resident of Dokri, said “Basic facilities like toilet and water are not available at many stations of Sindh. Have you ever seen railway stations with no stalls of newspapers, tea or fruits?” To top it all, there is no inquiry counter to announce the arrival or departure of trains.

Sadly, there are no trains to link the interior parts of Sindh (including Larkana, Shikarpur, Jacobabad) with the federal capital (Islamabad) and other cities of Pakistan. One has to change two to three trains to reach any city or the federal capital of Pakistan.

Civic amenities at the once famous Larkana Railway Station are not of the standards as they should be. One hopes that, with people`s government in power, things will improve at various railway stations in Sindh, more trains would be introduced or linked with interior parts of Sindh, etc.

HASHIM ABRO
Islamabad