LAHORE, Dec 23: Though there is nothing wrong in using one’s official perks, sometimes it stands so sharply in contrast to ground reality that it seems criminal.
In a recent precedence, 11 principal officers of the Pakistan Railways travelled in as many saloons from Lahore to Rawalpindi to attend the Public Accounts Committee meeting at Islamabad that concluded on Tuesday.
Eight saloons were attached to Passenger (327-up), one each to Subak Raftar (103-up), Rawal Express (105-up) and Margala Express (109-up), a source at the railways headquarters in Lahore told Dawn.
However, on reaching Islamabad on Sunday all the principal officers visited Railway Minister Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour and greeted him on performing Haj.
Four senior-most officers attended the PAC meeting while the rest stayed in the twin cities either with their colleagues at the railways ministry or relatives and friends for two days. Only general manager (Operations) returned Lahore by road while the rest travelled back in the saloons, the source claimed.
Saloons are special coaches that can easily accommodate 10 passengers each. These are meant for use of railways ministry and headquarters officers over and above grade 19.
During 2007-08 fiscal, railways had an income of Rs20 billion while its expenditure remained Rs37 billion. During the ongoing fiscal, railways has a shortfall of around Rs2 billion so far.
“Given the financial situation of the railways, such luxuries were not justifiable. Had the high-ups preferred to travel in one saloon and attached 10 extra coaches with trains, railways would have earned at least Rs100,000 in a day. A passenger coach accommodates some 100 commuters and the Lahore-Rawalpindi fare is Rs200 per head,” maintained the source.
Railway had 52 air-conditioned and other saloons. Of them, 13 are allocated to federal ministers, governors and chief ministers, one each to seven railway divisional superintendents, while around 15 are to be discarded as junk because of their poor condition and others are being used by railway ministry and headquarters officers.
Use of saloons by railways ministry and headquarters officers was banned in March 2002 when the PR decided to rent out its VIP coaches to generate revenue through unconventional means.
In the beginning the public response was good as two saloons per week were booked on an average.
However, by July 2003, the average came down to one saloon per week and has remained so till the present day.
After taking over of Mir Zafarullah Jamali as prime minister the ban on use of saloons by grade 19 and above officers was lifted.