PESHAWAR: The members of Pakistan Railways Employees Union have demanded of government to increase their salaries, medical allowance and pension by 100 per cent in the next budget.

Addressing a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Thursday, central president of union Sheikh Mohammad Anwar said that the practice of hiring contract officers and consultants against heavy salaries should be banned.

He said that the Pakistan Railways was a national organisation, which had become a hub of problems, as neither its workers were happy nor people and government were satisfied with its performance.

Flanked by other office-bearers of the union, Sheikh Anwar said that the main reason of the deterioration of services of railways was political interference and poor policies of administration.

“It is suffering from financial crisis and different kinds of challenges. The problems are not new,” he said. He added that successive governments never took serious initiatives to improve railways despite the fact it was a part of the country’s defence, welfare and unity of the country.

Sheikh Anwar said that government was reluctant to fill the vacant posts of different categories mainly after the retirement of employees. He said that ban was imposed on recruitments while posts were being eliminated in the name of rationalisation that caused various problems.

He said that their salaries and pensions should be taken over by the ministry of finance like other federal institutions to ensure timely payment. He also asked for payment of the medical bills, timely pension and gratuity to employees of railways.

The union leader demanded of the government to approve a bailout package of Rs25 billion for rehabilitation of railways. He also asked for restoration of different trains including Khushhal Khan Khattak Express, Bulleh Shah Express, Pakpattan Express, Akbar Bugti Express, Shah Hussain Express and others to overcome the existing problems.

Sheikh Anwar said that allowances should be given to all technical employees of the engineering department without discrimination and all diploma holder sub-engineers should be upgraded to BPS-14 instead of BPS-11 on pattern of other institutions.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2024