LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar Saturday took suo motu notice of Rs 60 billion alleged corruption in the Pakistan Railways. The top judge has directed the railways secretary and board members to appear before the court along with the audit reports and detail reasons for ‘losses’ worth Rs 60 billion incurred by the department.
“Why shouldn’t we also summon Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique,” the CJP remarked. He observed that India’s former railways minister Lalu Prasad was not a well-educated person yet he turned the Indian Railways into a very profitable organisation. “Today, the reforms brought about by Lalu Prasad are being taught at the Harvard University,” he added.
On the other hand, in Pakistan the railways is said to be a profitable entity only in rallies, the CJP said. “These claims are far from reality,” he remarked, asserting, “This is not a kingdom where people are free to do whatever they want to.”
Responding to the notice, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said that his team has worked day and night to keep the department away from nepotism and corruption. “We brought the railways, which was breathing its last, back on its feet,” he wrote on his social media account. “We tell people the truth in our rallies. We never said that railways was making profit. However, its condition is much better than before,” he said. The minister said a department which used to generate Rs18 billion only has now climbed up to Rs50billion.”The performance of Pakistan Railways can’t be measured through a single audit report. The auditors always have reservations but it doesn’t necessarily mean its corruption.”
The minister said that it was saddening to note apex court’s remarks over the performance of Pakistan Railways, adding that he is ready to personally brief the court over the five-year performance of the department.”After hearing about our performance, even the court will commend us,” he hoped.
Published in Daily Times, April 8th 2018.
