Pakistan Railways to probe 'assault' after protest

Railways secretary orders PR police chief to submit report in 3 days

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Railways (PR) has launched an inquiry into the allegation of its additional general manager (mechanical), Rahat Mirza, who claimed that he was physically assaulted by a grade-19 officer Tariq Latif on March 29.

According to a notification issued on Friday by the PR's chief personnel officer, the secretary railways has directed the PR Police inspector general to conduct the inquiry and submit a report within three days.

In his complaint, Mirza--a grade-21 officer--alleged that Latif, an officer of the Railway Commercial Traffic Group (RCTG), threatened to kill him in the former's office. He requested the PR chief executive officer to provide him security in view of the threat while also taking strict action against Latif.

According to a report, dozens of officers, including senior mechanical engineers, threatened the PR administration with stopping the work in the next few days if an immediate strict disciplinary action was not taken against Tariq Latif.

Despite a written complaint lodged by Mirza, with a demand for swift action, the railways ministry, in a surprise move on Thursday, appointed Latif as director general (vigilance), based at the PR's Lahore headquarters, the report added.