Locomotive drivers’ strike foiled by railway administration

It is a failed strike as trains are operating from Karachi to all parts of upcountry

KARACHI: A bid to start a countrywide strike by the Train Drivers Welfare Association, causing suspension of operations in many parts of the country, has been foiled by the railway administration as train operations are continuing from Karachi to the rest of the country.

The departure schedule of trains has been affected due to the late arrival of trains in Karachi caused by the scattered spells of rain throughout the country last week.



Talking to the Express Tribune, divisional transportation officer Shahid Hussain Samo, who is responsible for train operations in Karachi division said, “It is a failed strike as we have been able to operate trains from Karachi to all parts of the upcountry.”

According to him, the false demands of the train drivers are creating problems for passengers at a time when people are mostly travelling during their children’s summer vacations.



“In a few days time, the railway administration will make the trains arrive on time if there are no more downpours,” Samo added.

However, the trains that were scheduled to depart from Karachi for upcountry on Sunday were late for up to two to three hours, creating difficulties for passengers.



A passenger, Ghulam Ali, who was on the Rawalpindi bound train, Pakistan Express, said, “The drivers of trains should call off the strike in the interest of the passengers using the services of Pakistan Railways to reach their destinations.”

Ali, along with other passengers, considered themselves lucky when the announcement of departure of the train was made even though it was late than its scheduled time.



The Express Tribune learnt that the Karachi bound Awami Express was abandoned by its locomotive driver at Rohri Junction and later departed after a few hours of being stranded there. Sukkur division’s divisional mechanical engineer, who heads the locomotive drivers, was not available to comment on the situation.

The railway administration held talks with the train drivers observing the strike. According to Federal Railway Minister Saad Rafique, all the demands of the drivers could not be accepted and the ones who tried to create problems for passengers have been arrested in different parts of the country for being a part of terrorist activity.



Earlier, the drivers association said that their strike would continue till the Railways management accepted their demands, including upgrading their pay scale and meal allowances and reinstating suspended drivers, some of whom were found guilty in inquiry reports of different train accidents.