Islamabad (August 29, 2018): The opposition in Senate Session on Wednesday walked out of the Senate session in protest on Wednesday after Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid said land belonging to the railway ministry was not anybody’s “father’s property”.
Members of the opposition bench protested against the use of such a phrase by the railways’ minister.
During the session, the newly appointed railways’ minister said the ministry had a land of 20,000 acres that was not in use. But, he added, they would leave it on the Cabinet to decide whether the land should be sold or leased out.
Rashid said land belonging to the railway ministry was not owned by anybody’s father, it belonged to the government, which should make decisions regarding the property. “[However] land mafia considers railway land as their father’s property.”
While talking about losses faced by the ministry, Rashid said railways stood at a loss of Rs30 billion in 2013, which now went up to Rs41 billion, in 2018.
Earlier on August 26, newly appointed Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed claimed that Pakistan Railways (PR) will back up on its feet within four months.
Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad said that the economic condition of PR will be improved within one hundred twenty days, through effective and concrete measures.
He was talking to newsmen at Lahore Railway Station today, after visiting its various parts. Sheikh Rasheed said no decision has been taken to raise railway fares.
Rasheed said that promotion will be on merit, out of turn promotion will not be tolerated and action will be taken against such officers.
To a question, he said facility of online ticketing will be further extended and improved. The Minister said more attention will be given to target railway freight business.
He said elevators will be installed at major stations.
He said officers of Pakistan Railways will work one hour more than normal closing time, however, lower staff will observe the normal closing time.
The Railways Minister said a separate standard gauge line will be laid for CPEC related projects, rather than using the broad-gauge line.
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