Railway failed to run trains in South Punjab properly

Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad has announced operating 40 trains, out of 142, across the country till complete control of coronavirus pandemic.but he did not announce to run only train on Multan Sargodha section via Jhang , Sandal Express, Lahore bound Musa Pak express. Railway failed to repair the track between Shorkot-Jhang and train takes almost seven to eight hours from Multan to Sargodha which is only at the distance of 170 miles in the twentieth century. Similarly, there is no train for Dera Ghazi Khan, Kashmore via Rajanpur in Multan. South Punjab was totally neglected by the high up of railways who belong to upper Punjab or Sindh
Addressing a press conference at the PR Headquarters here on Saturday, he said that 15 Up trains and as many Down trains were already running while five UP and five Down trains would more be made operational including Sir Syed Express, Shalimar Express, Bahauddin Zakriya Express, Karachi Express, and Railcar from Lahore to Rawalpindi (which runs at 12:30 from both sides).
He also disclosed that Bahawalpur Railway station would be inaugurated this month and Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar had been taken into confidence in this regard.
He thanked the journalists and administrations of all four provinces for their cooperation in operating the trains with 60 percent occupancy.
He said that Pakistan Railway Advisory & Consultancy Services Limited, (PRACS) had also been given permission to sell tickets besides the online system due to the burden on the online system, adding the police had also been directed to ensure social distancing in queues for tickets at booking windows.
He assured the nation that the SOPs would be implemented in letter and spirit, adding that the railways were already facing a deficit of Rs 30 to 32 billion and the decision of restoration of trains had been taken to facilitate citizens.
The minister said that only those railway stations had been made operational where COVID-19 test could be conducted.
He said that precautionary equipment from China had reached and after installation of this equipment, more railway stations would be made functional.
Discussing the Main Line-1 (ML-1) project, he said that Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar had decided to work on PC-1 of the project.
He said that after the ML-1 project, the issue of track would also be resolved and track on the branch lines would also be improved.
He made it clear that no PR employee would be sacked from the department, adding that one lakh employments would be given in ML-1.
He said that the ML-1 was the life-line of the railways and it would also provide accident-free traveling in the future. To a question, he said that Pakistan-China friendship was higher than Himalayas and time tested, adding that both nations would stand side by side in any hard times.