PM summons Sheikh Rashid over Rohri rail tragedy

Prime Minister Imran Khan has summoned Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad tomorrow for a briefing over the rail tragedy in Rohri which claimed many lives.

Expressing grief over the Rohri incident, in which a bus collided with the train resulting in the killing of over 20 people, Imran Khan sought a report of the incident.

Meanwhile, addressing a news conference on Saturday, Sheikh Rashid said he will meet the prime minister tomorrow to brief him on the incident.

Shifting the blame to the bus driver and the provincial authorities, the federal minister said “It is the responsibility of the provincial governments to install gates on the railway crossings,” adding that it was bus driver’s fatal mistake too who did not take the bus from the flyover.

However, he said that soon all the crossings along the railway line from Karachi to Peshawar would be closed, hinting that it would not only reduce these kinds of incidents but also would increase the trains’ speed by 160 km/h.

In his bid to console or at least mitigate the gravity of the situation caused by the Rohri incident, the minister announced a reduction of 10 percent on the tickets for AC business and AC standard for two months starting from March 9.

While claiming that railway would become a profitable entity in five years, he said: “There is a piece of good news for the nation as the MLI will be signed by May 10.”

About the revamp in the railway, he said “We will bring new loader trains as the coaches are dilapidated,” adding that 75 percent of the trains would be renovated by the Chinese.

About the administrative reshuffle in the bureaucracy, the minister said: “We will transfer all the officers stationed at one place for more than three years.”

Meanwhile, Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan Androulla Kaminara has expressed deep sorrow and offered condolences over the Rohri incident.

I was deeply saddened to hear of the tragic #accident between train and bus yesterday. On behalf of #EU and @EUPakistan I extend deepest condolences to the families of those who tragically lost their lives in yesterday's #accident near #Rohri, & wish speedy recovery to injured.

— Androulla Kaminara (@AKaminara) February 29, 2020

In a tweet, she said “I was deeply saddened to hear of the tragic #accident between train and bus yesterday. On behalf of #EU and @EUPakistan I extend deepest condolences to the families of those who tragically lost their lives in yesterday’s #accident near #Rohri, & wish speedy recovery to injured.”