Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: A Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) meeting conducted to review the audit objections of the Ministry of Railways that was being held in Islamabad shows the railway budget has lapsed by an amount equivalent to Rs 7 billion.

Senator Sherry Rehman, through her Twitter account, accused the Ministry of Railways for not being able to utilize its budget in a proper manner.

”Isn’t the railways able to use its budget?” she asked.

She further added that there have been 31 railway accidents this year, including the horrific Dharki tragedy a month ago.

On 7 June 2021, before dawn, two trains collided near Daharki, in the Ghotki District of the southern province of Sindh in Pakistan, killing at least 65 people and injuring about 150 others.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Senate said that everyone was aware of the worse conditions of the railway tracks. “Everyone knows the condition of railway tracks is the worst.”

“The government could not repair the railway track, accidents are happening every day,” she added.

The Senator expressed her disapproval on the failure of the government to utilize the lapsed amount by questioning, “And you are telling us that the railways could not use its budget of Rs 7 billion?”

The Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) scheduled to resolve audit objections, including misappropriations of relevant departments was held on July 1^st, 2021 and was chaired by the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Railways.

Earlier, Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati had informed the Senate Standing Committee on Railways that railway tracks were being upgraded on a war footing.

He said the prime minister, who had been requested for Rs23 billion funds to fix 473km of dangerous track, had directed the relevant officials to submit PC-1 for the release of funds.