I TRAVELLED on March 9 from Lahore to Rawalpindi by train. The Pakistan Railways staff served a meal consisting of two sandwiches and a chicken piece. Thereafter, they offered every passenger a choice between tea and coffee.

The meal and refreshments were served in such a manner that all passengers thought that it was complimentary as is the practice in airlines and some of the inter-city passenger bus companies operating on motorways. I had the meal and took a nap.

An hour or so later a man woke me up and asked for payment for the meal. This surprised me and naturally I protested as to why he had not mentioned this before serving the meal that it was not gratis. His reply was apologetic but he insisted on payment. Per force I had to pay. I observed many other passengers also wrangled with the man.

This is a dubious way of doing business and I want to protest to the railway authorities.

Mohammad Nasir
Rawalpindi

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2018