Feeling the pinch: Railways employees continue to protest for pensions

Pakistan Railways current and retired employees protest demanding salaries and pensions in Lahore and Karachi.

Pakistan Railways is still feeling the pinch while retired railways employees protest in Lahore demanding their pension payments.

Railways chief accounts officer said on Tuesday they require Rs75 million to pay pensions to retired employees, while only Rs5.5 million were given out so far.  The official, Muhammad Akram, said Railways needs Rs2 billion from the government this week to pay salaries and pensions to its employees for the next month.

He also added that out of 502 locomotives, only 74 are operational, and only 70 trains are currently running.  According to Railways officials, the remaining trains will also be cancelled if they don't get spare parts in the next six months.

Meanwhile, at the protest a large number of pensioners gathered outside the bank at Railways Headquarters in Lahore and blocked the roads.

They shouted slogans against the authorities and said the bank manager had collected their pension books, but had not paid them yet.

Pensioners also gathered near Chauburji and burnt tyres, blocking the road.

They said they had been assured payment of their pensions would be issued from Monday -- but the authorities did not keep up to their promise.

Protests in Sindh

Earlier Railway employees in Karachi protested against the mismanagement of the railway department in front of the office of the deputy superintendent, Aftab Memon,  today.

Thousands of retired personnel have not received their pensions and some engineers have been denied their salaries, in Sindh as well.