Passengers stage demo at cantonment station

KARACHI: Railway passengers on Tuesday held protest demonstration at cantonment station protesting the delay in arrival and departure of trains, which are running late up to 22 hours.

Officials at railway station said that Hazara express, scheduled to arrive at 6.00am at Karachi cantonment, was 22 hours late.

Similarly, Khyber Mail, scheduled to arrive at 10.00am, was 12 hours late while Khushhal Khan Khatak was 12 hours late and Bahauddin Zakrya Express 8 hours late.

The other trains are running 3 to 20 hours late, he said.

Due to late arrival of trains many passengers spent the whole night under the platform sheds along with their families. .

Meanwhile, Pakistan Railways trade union leader Manzoor Ahmed Razi dispelled the impression that heavy rainfall was behind delay in arrival of trains and said main cause was shortage of engines and technical faults as per routine.

He claimed that six trains - Bahauddin Zakrya, Khushhal Khan Khatak, Bolan Mail, Fareed express, Pakistan express, and Allama Iqbal express are running out electricity, fans and water.

He said during the heavy downpour in the whole country tracks are not affected but railways colonies in Hyderabad and in Multan are heavily damaged.