Pakistan Railway workers, under the banner of the Pakistan Railways Prem Union. held protest rallies and sit-ins at railway stations and divisional headquarters across the country today. This action was taken in response to the government’s decision to privatize the railway, a move the union strongly opposes.
The union’s central president, Sheikh Muhammad Anwar, addressed the protesters in Lahore, stating that the railway has been crippled by mismanagement and poor planning by the Ministry of Railways and bureaucracy. He criticized the frequent fare increases, which are causing severe hardship to the poor people of Pakistan. He also pointed out the closure of various train sections, which is resulting in the destruction of tracks worth millions of dollars, and the increasing encroachment on railway lands.
Anwar further stated that the lack of funds has led to the deterioration of coaches due to poor maintenance of rolling stock. He also mentioned the suspension of train service, which he said is a proof of the incompetence of the railway administration. He added that this is the reason why derailments are happening in the railways every day and passengers are afraid to travel in trains. He also said that since 2019, the TA and DA of the employees have been closed. He said that the acquisition of gratuity, encashment, and GPF has become a forbidden tree. He demanded that instead of dismissing the TLA employees, the officers hired on contract and all the families of the MP one scale should be immediately dismissed from the railways. He also demanded that the TLA employees and the invalid employees should be regularized. He said that due to the shortage of staff, the railway employees are doing under rest duties, which can lead to a terrible accident at any time.
Anwar said that due to the incompetence of the Ministry of Railways, the railway administration has not been able to present the case of the railway properly to the government, due to which the government has put the railway in the non-essential category. He appealed to the Prime Minister to reconsider this decision.
Anwar further said that Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif is also the caretaker minister of railways, but his attention is not at all on the railways, due to which the railway system is deteriorating day by day. He demanded from the government of Pakistan that Pakistan Railways should not be merged with PIA and Steel Mills. He said that both these institutions are going into losses of one thousand and two thousand billion rupees, while the loss of railways is only fifty billion rupees. He demanded that like Orange Line, Benazir Income Support and National Highway Authority, Railways should also be given two to three billion rupees of financial assistance.
Anwar also praised the leadership of Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, saying that his struggle has created a new hope and a bright future among the people. He said that only an honest and fearless leadership can solve the problems of the workers, and Jamaat-e-Islami stands with the railway workers. He expressed hope that Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman will live up to the expectations of the people and get them their rights.
Other speakers at the protest included Prem Union Senior Vice President Abdul Qayyum Awan, Central Chief Organizer Chaudhry Khalid Mehmood, Lahore Division President Sheikh Fayyaz Shehzad, Headquarters Division President Nasir Khan and other leaders. They said that the privatization of the largest welfare institution of Pakistan is tantamount to treason against the country and the nation. They said that the rulers have their eyes on the precious lands of the railways. They said that the employees will shed their blood to save the railways and will not allow anyone to loot the railways in the name of privatization. They said that the spirit of the railway employees cannot be defeated. They said that the struggle for the rights of the railway employees which was started by Prem Union under the leadership of late Hafiz Salman Butt will be continued at all costs.
They said that preparations are being made to loot the assets of railways worth trillions of rupees, and that the railways is an institution of national unity. They said that at the end of the last financial year, the railways earned a record income of over 88 billion rupees, which is 40% more than the previous financial year. They said that the railways was given a target of 73 billion rupees from the government at the beginning of the financial year. He said that the privatization of an institution that earns so much income is a conspiracy against the integrity of the country.
They demanded that instead of privatizing the railways, it should be handed over to the workers, who will provide more profit than any private company. They also demanded that the new pension and gratuity law should be abolished and the old system should be restored.
In conclusion, the railway workers’ protest reflects their deep concerns about the future of the Pakistan Railways and their determination to protect their rights and the interests of the institution.
