Pakistan Railways continues to fall woefully short of its pledges of reform and modernisation, with trains failing to run on schedule, passengers being denied facilities commensurate with the fares charged, and the maintenance of passenger coaches in a deplorable condition.
The so-called air-conditioned parlour class offers little more than a token cooling system, with exorbitant fares, broken seats reminiscent of rickshaws, filthy washrooms, substandard food, and widespread overchargingall of which have laid bare the hollowness of the Railways' claims of improvement. Conditions in other classes are reported to be even worse.
During The Express Tribune correspondent's journey on the 7am railcar from Rawalpindi to Lahore on August 15, a Rs2,260 ticket for the air-conditioned parlour class afforded scant comfort. The seats, instead of being cushioned with soft foam, were hard, torn, and akin to rickshaw benches.
Many foldable food tables were broken, the cooling system failed to function effectively, and the maintenance of seats, flooring, and washrooms was virtually non-existent.
Two passengers were billed Rs1,900 for a poor-quality breakfast which, owing to the early morning departure, travellers were compelled to purchasean opportunity vendors appeared eager to exploit.
The railcar, scheduled to depart Rawalpindi at 7:03am, reached Lahore only at 12:30pm, taking five and a half hours. Within the AC parlour coach, drinking water and soft drinks were sold at double their market price. Such conditions stand in stark contrast to the much-vaunted promises of reform, modernisation, and enhanced passenger services.
The return journey from Lahore to Rawalpindi, advertised as a non-stop service, proved equally disappointing. The train, scheduled to leave at 6pm, departed at 6:14pm and arrived in Rawalpindi at 11:14pm, having been halted three times to allow other trains to pass.
Despite repeated assurances by successive governments of timely departures, punctual arrivals, and upgraded facilities, the situation on the ground remains unchanged. Even after high-profile events staged by the Ministry of Railways and attended by the Federal Minister for Railways, passengers continue to endure hardship.
Railway regulations explicitly prioritise passenger comfort, quality of service, punctual train operations, proper coach maintenance, and safety. Yet these standards remain unachieved.
When contacted, Railways Public Relations Officer Sohail Baloch confirmed that the breakfast charges and railcar fares were officially approved but offered no explanation for the poor food quality, the lack of comfortable seating, the ineffective cooling system, the appalling condition of washrooms, or the persistent delays in departures from both Rawalpindi and Lahore.
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