Daily Times

KARACHI: Pakistan Railways on Wednesday payed tribute to  Major Mohammad Rafi (late) on his courage and act of valor, the caretaker of Lucky Train, which brought passengers from India to Lahore on December 5, 1947 after a tiring 19-day journey.

DS Karachi Mohammad Hanif Gul and Director Public Relations Pakistan Railways Nazia Jabeen visited the house of (late Major Mohammad Rafi) and presented an honorary shield and shawl to his wife Chand Bibi.  On this occasion, the wife of (late Major Rafi) Chand Bibi thanked the Director Public Relations and Divisional Superintendent Railway Karachi, Mohammad Hanif Gul, especially for remembering the services of her husband.

The journey from India to Lahore border was narrated by Chand Bibi. While narrating the story she said that: "I started my journey with my husband from a small station in India, we reached Delhi station where 
Sikh refugee camps were set up."  She further stated that: "The words and instructions of Major Muhammad Rafiq were blindly followed by the passengers, as he instructed to create 
pin drop silence so that apparently, people would consider this as a freight loader train."

She maintained and said that "The doors were locked from the inside and the windows were locked with the help of keloki." The Lucky Train had a total number of 
1,200 passengers, including women, men, children and the elderly.

The level of Major Muhammad Rafi's patriotism, at that time, could be gauged from the fact that he left his home parents and siblings. 
Along with his wife, Chand Bibi and with the help of a Hindu driver he brought all the Muslims safely to Lahore border.  Major came to Pakistan with the intention that he
would spend the rest of his life in a Muslim country with his wife. A detailed interview on the life of the late Major Muhammad Rafi and the rest of his wife will be released soon.