Railway examiners demand long-pending rights

RAWALPINDI:

Chief Organiser of the Railway Train Examiner Welfare Union Mubarak Hussain on Saturday said the Carriage and Wagon Branch has always played a fundamental role in keeping Pakistan Railways running, with the hard work of train examiners benefiting every category of the railway system.

Despite their vital contribution, however, employees are being deprived of their legitimate rights.

Addressing a ceremony, Hussain said Pakistan Railways must ensure the provision of essential materials, eliminate staff shortages and restore the track system to save the organisation from deterioration and enable it to operate more efficiently.

He said the arrival of new locomotives and coaches would undoubtedly provide Pakistan Railways with additional resources, but their proper and effective utilisation would be crucial to the organisation's development.

Hussain said train examiners ensured the departure of passenger and freight trains despite harsh weather conditions and other difficulties. However, he said they were not receiving adequate travel allowances and overtime payments.

He said outstanding travel allowances from previous years had also not been paid in full, while Class-IV employees of the Carriage and Wagon Branch had been waiting for their legitimate rights for the past six years.