Pakistan restarts train service from tomorrow

Ag Agencies

ISLAMABAD: In the latest relaxation in the fast dissipating virus curbs, the federal government on Monday announced the partial resumption of train service from tomorrow (Wednesday), while the Supreme Court ordered the re-opening of shopping malls.

The decisions come as the nationwide Covid-19 cases surpassed 43,000 with 923 fatalities so far.

The apex court directed the federal and provincial governments to open shopping malls across the country, and also questioned the logic behind keeping markets closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

Heading a five-member larger bench to hear a suo moto case related to coronavirus measures, Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed observed instead of shopkeepers, it was government’s duty to ensure compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs). The CJP directed Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shallwani to reopen all the sealed shops. Justice Ahmed said instead of shutting down shops, SOPs should be implemented.

The court stated it found no rationale behind excluding two days of a week for doing business. Businessmen shall be allowed to do their business on all days, which was permissible under the law, subject to the enforcement of SOPs. The directions were first given for the Sindh government, but later the CJP said the steps should be implemented across the country.

Responding to queries by the bench, Sindh Advocate General Salman Talibuddin said the province was implementing all the decisions made by the Prime Minister-led National Coordination Committee (NCC). The court noted Islamabad and Punjab intended to re-open shopping malls and told the Sindh government to consult the Centre on the matter. “We don’t see any reason for keeping shopping malls closed in Sindh,” the bench said. The court also restricted the Karachi commissioner from sealing shops and markets.

During the proceedings, the court expressed dissatisfaction over the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for the money being spent to deal with the coronavirus crisis.

The NDMA had submitted a report over the amount spent on medical equipment and quarantine centres for suspected patients. Justice Ahmed said court would like to hear the learned Attorney General for Pakistan as well as the security officials of the NDMA. The court observed it found no reason why so much money was being spent on Covid-19. “There were other serious ailments prevailing in the country, from which people are dying daily and those ailments are not being catered and the coronavirus, which apparently is not a pandemic in Pakistan, is swallowing so huge money,” it added.

An NDMA official told the court the money had been spent on medical equipment, testing kits and quarantine centres. The NDMA representative said Rs25 billion had been allocated to the body and all of it had not yet been spent.

The CJP said apart from the amount allocated to the NDMA, the government had also handed out money to provinces and funds had also been allocated for the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme. “Corona in Pakistan is not as severe as the money being spent on it,” the bench observed.

Justice Ahmed inquired about the steps the NDMA had taken to deal with the locust attack and said crops planted for next year would not be able to grow.

The Advocate Generals KPK, Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan also made a statement before the court that all shops and markets had been allowed to open. The hearing was adjourned for a day.

In another development, Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid on Monday said Prime Minister Imran Khan had given the permission to partially resume train services from Wednesday provided SOPs were adhered to.

“If the conditions remain stable during the current month, then all train services will be resumed across the country from June 1,” Rashid told a news conference.

He said: “No one will be allowed inside the stations without having a ticket. Nearly 7,000 police officers have been deployed at [the stations in] Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, and Quetta and an emergency has been imposed” Rashid told a news conference. He said a “rehearsal” had been scheduled at all the stations on Tuesday (today).

The minister said there was no age restriction for the passengers. “We suffered losses worth Rs5 billion per month due to the closure of train services,” he added.

Information Minister Shibli Faraz, at a news conference later in the day, announced the resumption of partial train service from Wednesday.

He reiterated that the government was following a well thought-out policy to strike a balance between health and economic implications of the Covid-19 pandemic. He further said industries could work even during Eid holidays.

However, Sindh’s transport minister Owais Shah said the province was not taken into confidence over the resumption of train service.