RAHIM YAR KHAN: Pakistan Railways has temporarily closed its parcel booking office at Rahim Yar Khan railway station on the orders of the Sukkur divisional superintendent (DS).

Reports said DS Jamshaid Alam ordered the closure on Tuesday, and the office was sealed. In an alleged leaked audio message circulating on social media, the divisional superintendent can be heard saying he had directed parcel staff to complete an analysis of parcel rates, which, he claimed, they failed to do.

In the audio, the DS states that if Pakistan Railways revised and upgraded parcel rates in line with market prices, customers would stop booking their luggage themselves due to higher costs.

He further claimed that customers were benefiting from the railways’comparatively low parcel rates while allegedly paying bribe to parcel staff.

The DS also alleged that parcel staff were overloading luggage wagons, calling the practice an irregularity.

Rahim Yar Khan is considered one of the highest revenue-generating stations in the Sukkur division. However, its parcel office has been shut, while the office for issuing open tickets has been shifted to the main advance reservation and booking office.

The relocation has caused inconvenience to short-distance passengers and raised security concerns. Earlier, a separate window and queue were designated for open tickets. Following the shift, many daily commuters reportedly missed out on tickets, particularly those in a hurry.

When contacted for comment, Director Public Relations Pakistan Railways Babur Ali Raza did not respond to repeated phone calls and WhatsApp messages.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2025