BA concerned over hike in railway fares

The Baloch Hal News

QUETTA, April 2: Balochistan Assembly on Friday while expressing its serious concerns over the increase in Railway’s fares and deplorable condition of trains has demanded of the federal government for reduction in fares of railways and improve its services in Balochistan.

The demand was made through a joint resolution tabled by Nasreen Rehman Kethran in assembly session. The house met on Friday with Speaker Muhammad Aslam Bhootani in the chair.

Nasreen Khethran said that Balochistan was the most backward province of the country and Railway was one of the main sources of people to travel inside and outside the province, but unfortunately the condition of railway trains was deplorable and its fares were very much high.

She said that those bogies which were attached with trains plying between Balochistan and other cities were lacking all basic needs and facilities including water, light and air conditioning. “Though Railway fares have been increased manifold but the authorities concerned are not paying heed towards improvement of deplorable condition of trains”, she added.

She demanded that provincial government should take up this issue with federal government so that train service in Balochistan could be improved.

She also demanded that Abaseen Express, Balochistan Express and Sindh Express should be restored.

Debating on the resolution, Jan Ali Changzai, Raheela Durrani, Gazal Gola Nasreen Kehtran, Sultan Tareen, Khaliq Achakzai, Asad Baloch, Sardar Aslam Bezinjo, Shah Nawaz Marri, Zamarak Khan, Abdul Rehman Mengal, Ainullah Shamas, Habib-ur-Rehman Muhammad Hassani, Maulvi Sarwar and opposition leader Pir Abdul Qadir Gailani said that Balochistan was a poor province in terms of infrastructure and people mostly prefer to travel in trains. However, they said that due to rampant increase in railways fares poor people were facing big difficulties as they had no other alternate.

They said that on one hand railways was charging high fares from passengers while on the other hand condition of coaches were deplorable lacking all basic facilities. “50 years old engines and bogies are being used in Balochistan”, they deplored.

They said that railway department was not paying attention towards decaying condition of trains that was immensely irking the people of the province.

When they chair put the resolution for vote, the house adopted it unanimously with amendments.

On a point of order, minister for Revenue Engineer Zamrak Khan of Awami National Party congratulated President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, head of Constitutional Reforms Committee Raza Rabani and other political parties for making efforts for renaming NWFP as Khyber-Pashtoonkhwa. He said that it was a historical moment for all nation and after 18th constitutional amendment all provinces would get their due rights and control on their own resources. He said that in order to strengthen the democracy more reforms were needed in the constitution.

Earlier, Provincial Minister for Fisheries tabled Balochistan Levies Force Bill on behalf of Home Minister Mir Zafarullah Zhari in the house. He requested that Bill may be exempted from the requirements of the section 84 of rules and procedures of assembly. House unanimously accepted his request.