Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Executive Member and Pakistan Railways Member Advisory Committee Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi has demanded of the federal Railways Minister Mian Shameem Haider to review the decision about closure of private booking agencies with an aim of enhancing the sale of railways.
In a press statement issued here, Zia Sarhadi who is also Chairman Standing Committee of Sarhad Chamber on Dry Port said that contrary to the privatisation policy of present regime, the railway authorities have opted for nationalisation of private railway booking agencies by handing over the task to PRCS (Pakistan Railways Advisory and Consultancy Service).
Furthermore, he continued, no uniform policy has been laid down in this regard as in some cities the private railway booking agencies were closed down while in others the same were operating.
The railway authorities should chalk out a clear cut policy on private booking agencies with focus on improving the revenue of railways and its service, he added.
Zia Sarhadi said it is an established fact that private institutions perform well than government departments, especially where income has direct connection with sale.
Therefore, he continued, the Federal Minister should review the decision of closure of private booking agencies which were operating in the country from the last 50 years.
Zia also demanded of the railway minister to evaluate the performance of PRACs by comparing its sale with that of private railway booking agencies, while keeping in view the increase in rates of tickets with the passage of time.
The PRACs, he said, is a limited company run by in-service railway employees, receiving 5 percent commission on the sales of tickets as well as salaries from the department.
While concluding, Zia observed that the sale of railways could be improved manifold if a network of booking agents is laid throughout the country as a number of organisations like airlines, mobile phones, medicine and tobacco companies now preferred to run their businesses through franchises and have achieved good results.