Passengers ‘denied boarding’ for president’s rail ride
LAHORE: A number of passengers could not board the
Rawalpindi-bound Subakkharam Express (Rail Car) at the Lahore railway
station on Thursday after the authorities allegedly detached a couple of
coaches in a bid to facilitate President Mamnoon Hussain and his family
travelling by a saloon and their security escort .However,
the Pakistan Railways denied the reports, stating that all passengers
except 13 boarded the train without any problem after they reached on
time. “A majority of the passengers boarded the train.
The PR didn’t cancel any of the confirmed seat reservations. There were
only 13 passengers that were left behind after they failed to reach on
time,” Mr Najam Wali Khan, a spokesman for the PR, clarified while
talking to Dawn.
PR says only late-comers left behind
According to sources, Mamnoon Hussain and his family were
scheduled to travel by this train that was set to depart at 4:30pm for
Rawalpindi from platform No 2. “For this, the PR
authorities had done special arrangements by attaching a saloon. Two
engines, including a spare one for emergency purposes, were attached,” a
source told this reporter. But for a train comprising
nine coaches, including four air-conditioned, only four (two each AC and
economy class) were attached, he added.He said when the
passengers started reaching the railway station to catch the train,
many of them were told by the staff to travel by other trains that were
to depart at 6pm or later.“I saw many passengers gathered in the office of station master after being referred by the booking staff.
When they sought travelling by the train departing at 4:30pm, the station master told the staff to send them in other trains. However,
half of them were later sent through Islamabad Express and the rest
through the Tezgam,” said a journalist, Mr Salik Nawaz, who was present
at the station. Talking to Dawn, PR spokesman Najam Wali
Khan said the entire security of the president and his family was being
supervised by the army. “Only 13 passengers were left
behind after they couldn’t catch the train due to late arrival. But even
though, we got helped them board the Islamabad Express that moved from
station at 6pm,” he explained. The president was in Lahore for the last two days.