ISLAMABAD: The infrastructure losses of Rs628 billion of Pakistan Railways may be reduced by revenue generated by the transportation of imported coal from Afghanistan and transportation of imported wheat and some other contracts.

Secretary for Railways Zafar Zaman Ranjha said this during the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting on Tuesday which examined the Audit Report of Pakistan Railways for the year 2019-20. MNA Noor Alam Khan chaired the meeting.

The secretary said that the losses of Pakistan Railways were a result of previous governments’ decision to give preference to road transport and conversion of transport of oil from railways to pipelines. He maintained that management of Railways is negotiating with NLC to allow transportation of imported wheat from Poland to the rest of the country. He said there was a deficit as the expenditure of Pakistan Railways was more than the revenue.

The chairman and members committee expressed their serious concerns over the unauthorized use of railways land for private business purposes and illegal occupation of railways land.

The Secretary Railways explained that 5,000 acres of land out of an estimated 168,000 acres had been under unauthorized occupation and the management was in negotiation with Punjab Government, Pakistan Rangers, and food departments for vacating the land.

He said the management would soon submit a business plan to the Supreme Court of Pakistan in the light of the verdict issued by the apex court regarding railways land.

The committee referred two audit paras related to embezzlement of Rs880 million and Rs760 million to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for further investigation.

Chairman Committee further expressed his displeasure over non-cooperative attitude of top management in the facilitation of passengers and addressing their problems. He warned Chairman Railway Salman Siddique to act as a civil servant which only aim was to serve the public.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023