Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Railways Minister KhawajaSaadRafique on Wednesdayinformed the Senate that total 25 serious train accidents had occurred from May 2013 to December 2016.

Replying to a question in the House, the minister said majority of the accidents were reportedly occurred due to the mistakesof railways employees.

“Seventeen accidents occurred due to human error by the railways employees, seven were related to sabotage activities while one was due to natural calamity,” he added.

Saad Rafique said 94 persons died and 413 persons were injured in the 17 railways accidents.

As per policy in vogue, he said the passengers and railway staff on board were comprehensively insured. In case of an accident compensation was paid to the deceased and injured persons, he added.

SaadRafique said 47 cases of injured and deceased were under process for approval with the Ministry of Railways and Postal Insurance for compensation.The minister said the Pakistan Railways had started action against those responsible for the accidents.

The department was also making all out efforts to improve the obstacle system and the government had started many projects in this regard, he added.

To another question, the minister said the Pakistan Railways had resumed operation of Samasatta-Bahawalnagar section which was closed in 2011. Moreover, the Rawalpindi-Kohat section had also been operationalized.

He minister said work for the restoration of Sibi-Khost line, which had been out of operation since 2006, was in progress at a cost of Rs 3 billion and was likely to be completed by March 2018.

A high level committee, he said, had been constituted at the headquarters to study the viability of restoration of the sections after due consultation with all the stakeholders.