Railways to issue tickets only to families, not individuals

In order to discourage people from participating in the protest rallies of political and religious parties in Islamabad, the Pakistan Railways has come up with a strange logic.

It will issue train tickets only to families and not to individuals who wish to travel from Lahore and Peshawar to Rawalpindi, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Railways Chairman Habib-ur-Rehman Gilani on Monday issued directions to all divisional superintendents directing them to issue manual or e-tickets of train to only families and not individuals. According to the notification, the train ticket will not be issued to an individual.

Till further order, the railways ticketing staff will not sell tickets of any compartment of trains going from Lahore and Peshawar to Rawalpindi to individuals in a clear bid to thwart participation of activists of different political and religious parties which are currently staging protests in Islamabad.

The Railways IT Department was instructed to issue e-tickets only to families.

Sources are of the view that the Railways decision could affect people who use trains to reach to their work places or who want to go to attend some meeting or function.

Chairman Gilani said that the decision was taken to decrease the load of traffic on trains which was increased in the wake of closure of national highways. He promised that the Railways would review its decision after seeing situation on Friday.

Reporter Saeed Ahmad