Pakistan Railways may move Supreme Court of Pakistan against the verdict of Lahore High Court (LHC), which ordered the railways to resume the operations of six suspended passenger trains. As the deadline given by the LHC has almost expired, the authorities in the Ministry of Railways are likely to register an appeal in SC against the LHC verdict within two weeks.
Though, the PR has failed to restore the services of all six trains in the last 15 days, it has no option but to file an appeal in the Supreme Court, sources said. According to sources, LHC in its verdict on a petition regarding closure of six trains had directed the Railways Ministry to restart all the suspended trains within next 15 days.
Earlier, Pakistan Railways had annulled the services of the six trains to overcome its deficits, however LHC has directed to restart all the six trains adding that railway couldn't close the trains without taking the public into confidence. The Chief Justice has also wrote in his decision that a commission would be set comprising senior officers, bureaucrats and members from the civil society to oversee the mismanagement in these train services.
According to the sources PR had issued a notification on July 21 to immediately stop these train services because of monetary loss. A writ was filed by the Railways Workers Union (RWU) after the notification to LHC asking to disregard the railway's notification. The closed passenger trains are included Mehran Express, Sialkot Express, Sakhi Abbas Express, Tez Ro Express, Chiltan Express and Shalimar Express.
Talking to Business Recorder, the office-bearers of RWU said that the union would file a contempt of court case in LHC against the PR if the court's order was disregarded. They said that the closure of service of these six trains has posed severe troubles to the commuters and thousands of families were rendered jobless as a result of this decision.
Though the Minister for Railway Ghulam Ahmed Bilour had claimed that the ministry would implement the orders of LHC while resuming operation of all suspended trains as soon as possible, but after lapsing the given days no step was taken by the ministry so far.
However, sources in PR said that railway authorities were trying to bring the trains back on the same tracks but due to the unavailability of required locomotives the resumption of all suspended trains within a short period of time was not possible.
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