Islamabad: Pakistan Railways (PR) Minister Sheikh Rasheed recently stated that up to 60% of the train service needed to be restored to save the department from experiencing heavy losses, a news source reported. He shared these views while speaking to news media on May 6.
The PR has already reported losses worth PKR 5 billion due to the suspension in train services caused by the recent lockdown imposed to stop the transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic. Revealing the gravity of the situation, Rasheed said that the department wouldn’t be able to pay salaries to its employees next month if its operations didn’t resume at least partially.
He also mentioned that being the cheapest transportation service available in the country, countless people relied on the railway service to travel to their respective work places and home towns. Reiterating his desire to resume train services, the minister added that the department had all ‘foolproof arrangements’ in place to resume operations while ensuring complete public safety.
