To prevent repeat of Quetta tragedy: NA panel directs Railways to enhance stations security

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel, Wednesday, while expressing serious concerns over inadequate security arrangements at railway stations across the country has directed the Pakistan Railways (PR) to ensure all possible security arrangements to avoid Quetta railways station like terrorism acts in future.

These directions were passed by the sub-committee of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Railways in its meeting held here under the convenership of Ramesh Lal.

The committee members also expressed their displeasure over the absence of Federal Secretary Railways from the meeting, saying that this proves irresponsible behaviour of the top officials and the panel is not going to tolerate this.

The panel was informed by the Railways officials that security scanners, walkthrough gates and other security-related equipment arenot functioning on most of the railway stations countrywide. They said that the owing financial constraints the PR was unable to acquire new security equipment.

The panel was informed that lack of security arrangements were also responsible for Quetta Railway Station terror incident, wherein, at least, 32 people were killed and 60 were injured on November 9, 2024.

The Railways officials stated that the wall of the Quetta Railway Station collapsed long ago which was not repaired. The convener committee remarked that other than Lahore Railways Station security scanners and walkthrough gates at rest of the railways stations countrywide werenot functional which may become devastating country.

The panel was further informed that railway tracks in most parts of the country were becoming dangerous as these tracks have completed their life long ago and desperately needed to be replaced, otherwise, it can prove fatal for the passengers at any time.

Briefing the panel on the matter of PR’s lands illegally occupied across the country, the officials said that around 13,972 acres of land was occupied illegally by private individuals and different government departments across the country.

“Around 5,809 acres were occupied in Punjab, 1,181 acres are under encroachment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 5,948 acres in Sindh and 1,034 acres land occupied in Balochistan.”

They said the category of land under illegal occupations included commercial, residential, agricultural, and various persons or departments. Giving details of the land, the official said that around 769 acres were commercial in all the provinces, 3,309 residential, 5,512 acres agricultural and 4,382 were under encroachment of various persons or departments.

The official said the department had also decided to accelerate its ongoing anti-encroachment operation against land grabbers across the country to recoup its land from different individuals, groups, and even business organisations that were using it for residential, commercial, and agriculture purposes for decades.

“The joint procedure orders have been issued to all Divisional Superintendents of Pakistan Railways to retrieve the railway land from encroachers,” the official added.

Accordingly, he said the anti-encroachment operations for retrieval of encroached Railway land all over the Railway network are being initiated by the concerned divisions, and notices are issued to encroachers under the Possession Ordinance 1965 for the vacation of Railway land/structure within 14 days.

The official said that Pakistan Railway Police, District Administration, and law enforcement agencies are informed of necessary assistance in anti-encroachment operations.

To further control and restrict new encroachments, he said the responsibilities defined for Railway officers within Railway Station premises, Station Master concerned, within/around the colony premises, inspector of works, and Railway Police.

“The anti-encroachment schedules, on a three-month basis, are being prepared and sent to all concerned in line with the joint procedure order,” he said, adding that the operation will be launched with the assistance of Railway Police and district administrations of the relevant provincial governments.

The official said PR owned 167,690 acres of land across the country, of which 90,326-acre was in Punjab, 39,428-acre in Sindh, 28,228-acre in Balochistan, and 9,708-acre in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024