This note is in response to a news item titled: “Bilour pins Railways failure on NLC” that appeared on July 30, 2012. Finally someone in the government gathered the courage to speak out against the conspiracy to destroy Pakistan Railways (PR). It was Zia’s mission to destroy civilian institutions. Saeed Qadir was entrusted with the task to attack PR once the pride of the nation. Chairman Engr Kalam and Secretary Shahzad Ahmed Khan resisted this onslaught on a functional and profitable organization. In the end they both had to leave. The money making freight business of PR was handed over to NLC which eventually led to the demise of this institution. Kalam Sb is alive and contributing as VC of NED University Karachi.
NLC not only dented the revenue of PR it also destroyed the entire road network of the country as the roads were not designed for their loads. Then NLC was given the contract of building roads as well. About three years ago the Generals at the helm invested in the stock market and lost millions of public money. NLC is a rogue institution that must be merged with PR. Long hauls of freight should be carried out by PR while NLC should do only short runs. PR has to be restored to its past glory. Professional leadership has to be brought back. The original management structure with Chairman at the helm should be restored. Currently the PR headquarter is in Lahore whereas the Chairman sits in Islamabad leaving the entire organization to a GM who has to seek permission from Islamabad. Bilour Sahib you have raised the issue which is commendable now let us deal with this rogue NLC and disband it. Please form a reforms task force under Kalam Sb and restore PR to its past glory.
DR FARID A. MALIK,
Lahore, July 30.