10-hour halt in train service leaves passengers stranded as PSM staff block tracks in protest

Dozens of Pakistan Steel Mills employees staged a sit-in on the railway tracks near Bin Qasim on Monday, disrupting train services for several hours and halting operations between Karachi and other parts of the country.

The protesters are demanding the reinstatement of 6,000 laid-off workers and the restoration of Steel Town's electricity and gas supplies. According to Divisional Superintendent (DS) Railways Karachi, Nasir Khalil, the workers have been blocking the track since 12:30 PM, leading to the suspension of train operations.

"Down-track trains, including the Millat Express, Green Line, Karachi Express, and Shah Hussain Express, have been halted, while on the up-track, Rehman Baba, Allama Iqbal Express, and Karakoram Express remain stationary," said Khalil.

He added that the protesters refused to engage in dialogue with railway officials. "We have also attempted to coordinate with the district administration and are reaching out to the Steel Mills management to facilitate negotiations," he said.

Meanwhile, the Malir deputy commissioner and SSP met with a delegation of protesters to try to resolve the situation. Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi contacted Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to request assistance in clearing the Bin Qasim railway track, which was blocked by protesting Pakistan Steel Mills workers for over seven hours.

The minister said the sit-in had brought train operations to a complete halt, causing severe inconvenience to passengers. “Train operations have been suspended for the past seven hours due to the protest by Steel Mills workers. Passengers are facing distress, so I’ve contacted the Chief Minister for support,” Abbasi said. He added that Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah had assured him full cooperation and promised to help clear the track promptly.