Sir: Passengers have been greatly inconvenienced by recent delays in train arrivals at Lahore and Karachi stations caused by a signal staff protest. The staff’s demands — revision of salaries, withdrawal of cases registered against their leaders at the railway headquarters and an eight-hour working day — should be met as soon as possible. Railways Signal Staff Welfare Association has adopted a ‘work to rule policy’ because their pay scales have not been revised since 1974.

The Loco Running staff have been risking their lives and the lives of their passengers on the instructions of the administration. In 1999 General Pervez Musharraf appointed a retired general of the ISI as head of the railways, who banned all trade unions in the institution. Thousands of railway workers, including many trade union leaders, were either suspended from their jobs or forced into retirement.

The current protest of the signal department includes demands for regularisation of their positions, increase in allowances by 55 percent and reduced duty hours in line with international labour laws. These demands should be fulfilled immediately. Why the inhumane treatment of our esteemed railway staff? Will higher officials start running these trains once the staff is completely exhausted by their duties?

NIGHAT AHMED
Lahore