Sheikh Rasheed announces resumption of five more trains

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Saturday announced to operate five more trains in coming days under-designed standard operating procedures (SOPs) amid coronavirus outbreak, ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the federal minister said that Pakistan Railways has suffered a loss of 50 million in last 10 days due to allowing passengers under the designed SOPs.

“We have decided to restore five more trains in order to avoid loss during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Rasheed and added Sir Syed Express, Karachi Express, Bahauddin Zakariya, Shalimar Express and Multan-Karachi railcar will resume their operations.

The minister also requested Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to inaugurate the Bahawalpur railway station. Sheikh Rasheed said that railways was not in a position to resume 100 trains as we [Pak railways] did not have safety equipment at the train stations.

Read More: Don’t see lockdown in country’s future, wheat crisis probe expected: Sheikh Rasheed

The minister said that next 90 days are important in politics of Pakistan, adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan will take action against the flour and sugar mafia.

On May 20, Pakistan Railways had resumed its limited train operation across the country to facilitate passengers during Eid-ul-Fitr.

Earlier on May 24, Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Sunday claimed that there will be no coronavirus related lockdown in the country henceforth.

Talking to the media earlier in the day Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said that the Prime Minister of Pakistan has called for a report into the manufactured wheat shortage that plagued the country a while back.