LAHORE, Dec 20 (APP):Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati has said that the difference in the quality of railways services will be visible after one year, with the support of its workers and officers.
Talking to the media during his visit to the Pakistan Railways (PR) Mughalpura workshops divisional superintendent office here on Sunday, he said that the PR workers would now never be used for politics, adding that it would be a victory of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government if it could improve the lives of labourers.
He said that the country was facing financial constraints and the government would not drag the departments into politics, adding that all-out efforts would be made to make Railways a profit-earning department.
“I have developed every department that had ever been given to me, and I have delivered whatever ministry was handed over to me in the past,” the minister added.
He said that the PR needed a direction from the minister, and the rest of the job would be performed by his team, the workers and officer of the department. “Revival and development of the Railways is my priority,” the minister added.
He said that safety of the passengers and workers was important for him and for the good image of the railways.
He lauded former minister for railways, Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, saying he made a lot of efforts to establish the department on strong footing. The foundations had been laid and now “my job is to construct a good building on it”, he added.
The minister said that the PR was a national entity and the PTI government would uplift it like a modern enterprise.
He requested the media to ensure context while publishing his statements.
“Yesterday, I had said that I made functional several bankrupt companies in the USA, and now I will run the PR successfully, with the grace of Allah,” he added.
The minister said that it was his responsibility to look after the workers like a parent.
He said that condition of residences and quarters of the railways workers were extremely poor and no improvement had been made in the last 60 years from the date when these residences were first constructed.
“We will give them houses according to the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan,” the minister said and added that the PR as an institution would be uplifted if its workers were provided with the best healthcare and residential facilities.
“I am observing everything minutely for bringing about reforms in the department,” the minister said.
He said that the PR was facing deficit of Rs 2 billion due to electric meters and this year that money would be saved. He said that money was nation’s wealth.
“I paid rent for the rest house from my own pocket, where I stayed last night,” he added.
“Railways is running on the Victorian system, but I have asked the officers to detach themselves from that system and find out some practical solution to protect our historical assets and property by converting them into profitable entities,” the minister said.
He said that no leniency would be shown towards retrieval of encroached upon lands and properties as the railways could not be improved if any politics or compromise would be made on it.
“We have to work for increase in income without allowing any politics, so that we can show a difference to the prime minister after one year,” he added.
