The Lahore High Court Chief Justice on Tuesday sought details of all special trains run by Pakistan Railways in last six months by July 09. Chief Justice issued this order while hearing a petition of Jhoolay Lal Council challenging closure of special trains on the eve of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar's Urs.
Earlier, a deputy attorney general appeared before the court on behalf of federal government and informed that Railways was not in position to run special trains this year as it was facing financial constraints. Council's president Sheikh Tariq Abbas in his petition submitted that every year railways runs 14 special trains to facilitate the devotees of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar who come across the country to participate Urs celebrations. He said the Council buys train's tickets of worth Rs 36 lac for the devotees every year giving huge revenue to railways.
Petitioner said this year the railways department closed different trains owing to financial constraints and also stopped service of special trains to accommodate the devotees of Lal Shahbaz. He said Urs of Lal Shahbaz was going to start from July 31 to August 2 in Sehwan Sharif, Sindh, but the devotees were facing serious problem due to closure of special trains and unable to reach their destination in time.