Opposition calls on railways minister to step down

ISLAMABAD: The Opposition has called for the resignation and arrest of Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed after two trains collided near Sadiqabad on Thursday.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari while expressing grief over the accident said: “Imran Khan has given many examples of resignation over accidents. Why is he not asking for resignation from his own minister?” He added: “Don’t know how many more lives will be lost because of Sheikh Rashid’s romance with the ministry.”

The PPP leader further said Rashid and Imran Khan are only indulged in “point-scoring”. “The country is also running like the railways ministry. Sheikh Rashid also destroyed the railways during Musharraf’s era,” Bilawal added.

Senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal said: “Imran Khan cannot ask for resignation but he can give the ministry to a person who has the time to run it. The Prime Minister should discourage the trend of false performances.”

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said it was worrying that there was an increase in the number of train accidents. “The reason and motive behind the accident should be brought forward to determine the perpetrators,” the PML-N leader added.

PML-N leader Tallal Chaudhry called for Sheikh Rashid to hand in his resignation and said: “Imran Niazi should give some other ministry to Sheikh Rashid. Imran Khan should determine the safety of the public before running any more trains.”

Furthermore, the PML-N has submitted a resolution in the Punjab Assembly calling for a case to be registered against Rashid and his subsequent arrest. The resolution was submitted by PML-N leader Hina Pervaiz Butt which states Sheikh Rashid is responsible for the Akbar Express accident and that the railways minister does not have any moral justification to stay on his post.