Federal Minister for Railways Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour has sent an SOS message to the government that Pakistan Railways had only two days' diesel to run the trains and it had no money to buy the fuel. Addressing a news conference at the PR Headquarters Bilour on Monday urged the government to inject sufficient funds in the national utility to buy fuel, locomotives and pay salaries and pensions to its employees.
"...the government had approved Rs 11.5 billion bailout package in December 2010 for the Railways but so far it has not provided even a single penny', he added.
Bilour was quite vocal in saying that the government is giving Pakistan railways a step motherly treatment as the Finance Ministry is not releasing the approved funds for the Railways. He warned God forbid, if railways collapsed, the national economy will also suffer badly.
"In fact, the rail needs a powerful injection of funds for its survival, but the Finance Department is not co-operating with us. We are still looking forward to the previous year's approved allocation of Rs 13 billion out of which we got only Rs 3.5 billion.
He said the biggest problem facing the railways is the lack of engines, and without those no revenue could be generated. He said if the railways did receive 400 engines then the deficit would come to an end.
Railways' earnings can only be increased by operating freight and passenger trains but we do not have locomotives for the purpose. Out of 320 available locomotives, only 155 are in working order.
"We have only 12 locomotives for freight operation against the current demand of 130," he said, adding due to the shortages of locomotives, 2,500 to 3,000 vans loaded with goods are standing at Karachi and waiting their departure. Similarly, he added, the rail had only 112 locomotives for passenger operations against the need of 155. Many of these locomotives are in bad conditions,
Bilour appealed to the superior judiciary to decide Chinese locomotive case on priority basis to save the rail system from collapse.
"I appeal the judiciary to hear the 75 Chinese locomotives case on daily basis and decide it as soon as possible considering it a national responsibility. Owing to litigation, railways used to pay Rs 150, 000 daily in fines to the Chinese company. We can earn Rs 25 million daily if we get the locomotives."
When asked why did not he prefer to resign in such conditions? The Minister said he is ready to resign if some one else could bring about improvement: "I do not want to quit from the ministry in such bad conditions rather I will prefer to face the challenge. I am trying my best for bringing necessary improvement in the department."
He assured that there would be no deficit if the government provided him with locomotives. Bilour said that he had talked to the Prime Minister on the issue, but, despite Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani's orders the finance ministry did out of the approved allocation of Rs 13 billion for the last fiscal, gave us only Rs 3.5 billion; it does not seem to be serious to bail out the country's largest transportation system.
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