1,000 train drivers threaten to resign

LAHORE - At least 1,000 locomotive drivers of Pakistan Railways (PR) have threatened to resign on Saturday (today) to press the government to fulfill their demands.
The drivers demanded the Ministry to improve the whole infrastructure, holding it responsible for most of the accidents.
They demanded the Ministry to improve tracks system, rectify signals and replace the inoperative locomotives with the new ones immediately, considering them as the major reasons for train accidents.
However, the drivers were of the view that they would not jam trains wheels initially and would continue working till the acceptance of their demands while the negotiations between the drivers and higher authorities including General Manager of Pakistan Railways are under way.
We will stop working immediately in case the authorities refuse to accept our demands, they maintained.
In this regard, an office -bearer of locomotive drivers association Nazir Awan said that the entire infrastructure of Pakistan Railway need to be improved as the largest part of rail tracks have been expired and are dangerous for traveling.
He said that besides signals, more than 80 percent locomotives are out of order as they have never been rectified. During travel, they usually stop working and caused creating nuisance for passengers.
Instead of improving infrastructure, higher authorities are damaging the department because of their criminal laxity and ill-planning, he said adding that they are responsible of extinction of countrys largest organisation.
GM PR Saeed Akhtar said the entire infrastructure is old as no government in past took the issues seriously. He, however, said that present government and administration struggling hard to improve PR infrastructure.