300 Railways engines off track due to scarcity of funds: Supreme Court informed

The Supreme Court was informed on Tuesday that out of total 500 railways engines, 300 were off track due to scarcity of funds meant for maintenance with the department. The court observed that Pakistan Railways was the most important means of communication for carrying goods and travelling of passengers, but due to alleged corrupt practices, the department is facing such crisis.
A four-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry comprising Justice Mohammad Sair Ali, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday, was hearing a suo motu case regarding non-transparent procedure of purchase of 150 locomotives by Railways ministry, which has caused 40 billion loss to the national exchequer.
Chairman Pakistan Railways Shahid Hussain Raja rejected the impression that Rs 40 billion loss was caused to Pakistan Railways. "It is impossible that in Rs 55 billion PC-I project there was corruption of Rs 40 billion...I will check it further", he contended.
He told the court that during the last 40 years, no investment was made in Pakistan Railways and the previous governments only focused on constructing road networks. Justice Sair said it was the negligence compounded by corruption. He said Railways was one of the elitist services in Pakistan. The court asked whatever investment done in railways, was according to international standard.
Justice Chaudhry asked chairman railways that for the sake of national interest you should know how it can be put on the right track. The court questioned that why only American firm General Electric was eligible to supply locomotives to Pakistan Railways while there were so many other international companies, quite capable to supply the locomotives at much lower rates. The chairman requested the court to give some more time so that he could place more record before the court. The court directed all the respondents to submit their replies and adjourned the hearing for two weeks.