By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
The newly appointed General Manager Pakistan Railways, Junaid Qureshi, has stated that railway’s 60 percent problems can be resolved by overcoming mismanagement while the remaining 40 percent relate to financial implications.
He made the observation while talking to media after chairing meetings with Divisional officers and office-bearers of various workers’ unions in the office of Divisional Superintendent Railways in Karachi on May 14.
Besides some Principal Officers from Railway Headquarters in Lahore, who accompanied the General Manager during his maiden visit to Karachi, the meeting was also attended by Divisional Superintendent Anzar Ismail Rizvi.
Junaid Qureshi, who was appointed as the Pakistan Railways General Manager (Operations) a few days ago, had earlier served as PRACS, a subsidiary of the Railways as Managing Director.
He has urged the officials of Pakistan Railways to spare no effort in resolving the related problems which they can do at their own level.
He has issued various directives to them and hopefully these would result in bringing improvement in the railway’s working including control on late running of trains which emanate from Karachi.
Junaid Qureshi said that the plans were underway to restart the freight trains on priority basis, which in real term are the real revenue backbone of the railway.
“Railways certainly suffered a revenue setback with the closure of freight operation”, he conceding, adding that Karachi Railway Division has only 89 working locomotives out of a total strength of 111.
He said that he will be visiting the loco shed at Cantonment Railway station to assess the possibilities for repair of defective locomotives and for this purpose the railway will release necessary funds as well. He announced that Railways will start operation of two freight trains from Karachi from next week
To a question, the GM Railways informed that talks were in final stages for obtaining Rs 6 billion commercial loan from National Bank of Pakistan. He said this amount will be spent on the repair of 80 locomotives and will be repaid from the income generating from freight and other operational trains.
Junaid Qureshi informed the media that international tenders have been floated for purchase of 150 locomotives, to be opened in June.
Replying to a question, the GM said that railway is going to run six more trains on public-private participation during the next 30 or 45 days.
He told a questioner that for the present the railway’s revenue was 30 percent below the target. But the situation will improve by next month when freight trains will be operational.
The General Manager Railways undertook a visit to various railway divisions starting with Karachi Division He will be visiting Sukkur Railway Division and Multan Railway Division during the next few days. He will be taking a team of senior officers along with him for resolving various issues on the spot.
Junaid Qureshi has pledged to personally undertake a journey to various destinations on trains and has issued same directives to his officers to follow his suit in an effort to bring improvement in the railway’s working.
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