ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry
has remarked Pakistan is stepping back rather than moving ahead despite
being a nuclear state.
He gave these remarks while presiding
over a 2-member bench of Supreme Court (SC) during the course of hearing
of suo motu notice of non-payment of pension and salaries to railway
employees.
Railway Board Secretary Shafi Ullah told the court
that payment would be started to pensioners and employees from November
1. However, it can take one month in making payment to the pensioners
through banks, he added.
The CJP observed corruption had
destroyed railway department. A senior citizen and a person who spends
the whole life in serving railway loses his life while standing in queue
for receiving pension but no one cares for him, he further remarked.
Former
Railway minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said the present management is
responsible for destruction of railway department. Railway technical
staff has been sent on leave forcibly and grade-16 employee has been
allowed to work in place of grade-19. Railway scrap has been sold out at
throwaway rate and influential persons are occupying railway land, he
told. Situation in railway can be improved if illegally occupied land is
recovered, he submitted.
Railway Secretary Shafi Ullah told the
court Sheikh Rashid was responsible for the prevailing situation in
railway. The then railway management wanted to run cargo train but
Sheikh Rashid ran 20 passenger trains due to which deterioration set in,
he added.
The CJP remarked what a plight of railway was that a
bulb costing Rs 400 had been purchased at the rate of Rs 700. How such
type of corruption would be contained, he questioned.
Chairman
Railway told railway scrap worth Rs 500000 per metric tone had been sold
out at the rate of Rs 28000 metric tone. However sale of further scrap
had been stopped, he added.
The CJP remarked electric cable
which was laid upto Khanewal had been stolen due to negligence. You have
no money for PSO. Circular debt comes to you. How will payment of
salaries amounting to Rs 2 billion be made to employees per month. How
the affairs would run one when a grade-18 officer would be inducted on
purchase duty in place of grade-21 officer, he questioned.
Chairman Railway told task force had been constituted to increase revenue of department.
The
CJP remarked “Talk of increasing the revenue when the trains will
run. The hearing of the case has been adjourned till November 10. Online
