Apropos to news item appearing in the Business Recorder on 28.07.2010 titled "Railway withdraws subsidies from fare", the spokesman of Pakistan Railway has shown reservations on the said news. He said.
"It is incorrect that out of 16,433 carriages, 8000 are currently out of order and that the PR Carriage Factory was unable to repair the carriages. The reporter has wrongly indicated carriages instead of freight wagons and that Carriage Factory is responsible for the repair of such freight wagons. Rather Wagon Workshops at Mughalpura is meant for repair/maintenance of rolling stock "he observed.
He said, "It is also incorrect that PR engines' fleet is also grounded after Chinese company that manufactured them rejected all the warranty claims. The actual fact as per data available with the scribe is that about 200 locomotives out of which majority is of US/Japan origin are held-up for repair/overhauling. The repair and overhauling is suffering because of non-availability of requisite spare parts and lack of funds "he pointed out.
He maintained that "It is incorrect that Chinese locomotives are held-up on account of any warranty claims rather all Chinese locomotives have completed their warranty period or/and kilometres. Out of 200 locomotives of PR fleet presently held-up, only 30 locomotives are of Chinese origin and they are facing the same fate due to non-availability of spare parts and delay in the maintenance/ overhauling" he added.