A countrywide strike of Pakistan Railways' (PR) train drivers for upgrading scales and reinstatement of sacked colleagues left thousands of passengers stranded at various stations including Karachi on Sunday. The strike was announced by the Train Drivers Welfare Association (TDWA) with effect from Saturday midnight. However, after intervention of railway's top management, it was called off and train operations were resumed after some six to eight hours' suspension in various parts of the country.
Stopping their locomotives on tracks in protest against non-fulfilment of their demands, train drivers begun chanting slogans against the railway authority at different stations. Divisional Commercial Officer (DCO) Ishaq Baloach told Business Recorder that the train operations have now resumed and being continued as per routine across the country. He said the train drivers had 'illegally' stopped locomotives at tracks around 12am on Sunday.
He said train schedule was disturbed as each train was late almost 5 to 7 hours from its normal arrival and departure timings. The management is making all out efforts to facilitate commuters, he added. "I am here to receive my daughter who is coming from Lahore. She was about to reach around 11am but her train got late due to strike." an elderly lady told Business Recorder at Karachi Cant Station. "The Railway officials told me that the train would now reach at 4pm instead. I have to wait for the next six hours here as it is quite difficult for me to go home at Liaqatabad," she deplored.
Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique on his social media message said "Demand for reinstatement of sacked drivers is highly unacceptable and illegitimate." He said these drivers have been dismissed after comprehensive inquiry against them. Their (drivers') sheer negligence left over 40 precious people dead in various train incidents across the country. According to details, Allama Iqbal and Fareed Express had been halted at the Sukkur Division. The Loco Running Staff Association (LRSA) said that they were being threatened instead of accepting their demands by the high-ups in PR.
NNI adds: Passengers landed into immense trouble as railway drivers went on a strike over non-fulfilment of their demands. Trains remained stranded whole night as a result of the strike. Railway drivers while disrupting the entire system stopped the operations of Tezgam, Karakoram Express, Fareed Express, Khyber Mail, Allama Iqbal, Millat Express and Pakistan Express at Rohri, Mehrabpur, Khairpur and other stations.
Passengers waited for long hours as Shalimar Express, Karachi Express, night coach and other trains were delayed at Lahore stations. Similar situation occurred at Karachi and Rohri railway station where troubled passengers were seen slamming the railway authorities.
The train drivers have demanded the authorities to provide them mileage allowance, reinstatement of suspended colleagues and up-gradation of pay scale. In the aftermath of the strike, railway authorities in a bid to control the situation arranged for alternative drivers and restored the operation. Later, the strike ended in Karachi and Awam Express departed from Cantt railway station following a delay.
Meanwhile, the second round of negotiations with the train drivers failed in Sukkur. Angry protesters clashed with the police while accusing them of arresting their leaders after inviting them for holding talks on the matter.
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