Daily Times

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmad has remarked that the political recruitments have derailed the Pakistan Railways.

The chief justice gave the remarks on Tuesday while hearing a case regarding the regularization of the employees recruited in the Pakistan Railways on a temporary basis.

The apex court suspended the decision of the service tribunal regarding regularisation of 80 employees and also admitted a petition of the Pakistan Railways against these 80 employees.

The counsel for PR told the court that these employees had been recruited in 2013 though they did not meet the 2012 Railway Policy.

Chief Justice Gulzar Ahamd remarked “The temporary recruitments are made on a political basis. The Pakistan Railways is in dire straits due to the non-professionalism of its officers. The department is rife with wrongdoings due to these political recruitments.”

Justice Ijazul Ahsan, another member of the three-judge bench hearing the case, said the railway officers after political recruitments frame a policy based on political grounds to regularize such employees.

“Eighty percent income of the railways is consumed by salaries and pensions,” Justice Ijaz said.

The CJP said the temporary staff draw their salaries while sitting at home doing nothing. “Such a state of affairs is behind the so many railway accidents,” he added.

Justice Ijaz said there is no system in the railways as employees get their salaries and go home. “Still hundreds of people are being recruited by the PR on temporary basis every month,” said the CJP.

On this the railway counsel intervened informing the court that there was a ban on temporary recruitments.