Unpaid railway employees bring trains to a halt

Despite two rounds of negotiations with railway management protests show no signs of abating as salaries remain unpaid

LAHORE:

The protest of railway employees gained momentum on Friday as the financial troubles of the state institution continue to plague the workers, resulting in perpetually delayed salaries.

Several intercity trains from Lahore to Karachi - including the Karakoram Express, Pak Business Express, and Karachi Express - could not depart on their scheduled routes as the employees staged protests on the tracks.

Despite two rounds of negotiations with railway management, the protest of railway employees showed no signs of abating as frustration mounted.

The situation escalated when passengers joined in the protest after the workers refused to leave the trains. "What are we being punished for?" a passenger complained, who was left stranded on the platform for over two hours.

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According to the employees, while some have not been paid for a month, others have experienced significant delays. Moreover, some employees claim to have not received their salaries for the months of August and September.

Initially, railway employees halted the washing line before proceeding to block the railway track in protest. The employees then stopped the Business Express train from Karachi to Lahore, forcing passengers to disembark and proceed on foot.

Railway employees chanted slogans against the management and expressed frustration over their difficult circumstances while accusing the administration of being unaffected by their calls for salaries.

Many employees lamented that electricity and gas supply to their homes have been cut off due to unpaid bills.

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The protests come as a day earlier outgoing Chief Executive Officer Shahid Aziz, highlighted the dire situation, stating that a bailout package of Rs35 billion ($22 million) is urgently required to save the struggling institution.

"We need immediate financial assistance from the government to overcome our fiscal crisis. We require around Rs 4-5 billion ($2.5-3 million) to clear pays and allowances. Additionally, we need Rs 8-10 billion ($5-6 million) for maintenance, which includes track and rolling stock," he explained in a press conference before his retirement on Thursday.

He also emphasised the need to address outstanding liabilities from previous years, which brings the total bailout requirement to Rs 30-35 billion ($18-22 million).