Residents of Thatta demand restoration of train stop at Jungshahi station

Political leaders, social activists and business representatives staged a protest at the Jungshahi Railway Station on Sunday against the removal of the stop for the Ghaus Bahao-ud-Din Zakariya Express.

The demonstrators said the closure of the stop had completely severed rail links between Thatta district and other provinces, including Punjab, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, severely affecting educational, employment, and business activities in the region.

Led by local political and social figures, including Pir Ghulam Hussain Shah Rata, Iqbal Raheem Jokhio, Shankar Lal, Ramzan Brohi, Salik Palijo and Mohsin Brohi, a large number of people participated in the protest, demanding immediate restoration of the stop.

Local communities, civil society organisations, and the business community condemned the decision calling it "anti-people." Civil society representatives urged that not only should the Ghaus Bahao-ud-Din Zakariya Express stop be restored at Jungshahi, but other major trains like Khushhal Khan Khattak and Bolan Mail should also resume stops there.

Protesters further demanded the allocation of a regular reservation quota at the Jungshahi Railway Station so that passengers did not have to travel to Karachi or Hyderabad to buy tickets. The business community pointed out that the presence of the Ghaus Bahao-ud-Din Zakariya Express stop at Jungshahi had significantly contributed to the government revenue.

Passengers expressed deep frustration, stating that the suspension of the stop has created serious travel hardships, particularly for students attending educational institutions, employees working in public and private sectors, and patients needing to reach hospitals. The protesters urged the federal railways minister Pakistan Railways chief executive officer and Karachi divisional superintendent to immediately restore the stops.