Glad tidings for media before Ramazan: Sheikh Rashid

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed Sunday said the government should improve its relations with the media and that he was hoping for good news soon.

“Give me some time. I have my own way of working,” he said while addressing a ration distribution ceremony for porters at the Lahore Railways Station.

“I spoke to Prime Minister Imran Khan on this issue a day ago and will talk to him tomorrow (today) again. I strongly believe ties with all the news organisations in the country should be improved just like the government did to Dawn. There will be good news for the media before Ramazan,” he said.

Sheikh Rasheed said he had talked to Imran Khan about the arrest of Jang GeoEditor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman by the NAB. He was hopeful that Pakistan will finally overcome the coronavirus pandemic through national unity, discipline and awareness. He said the situation related to coronavirus pandemic had been controlled in Pakistan.

He said the Pakistan Railways had donated Rs50.8 million to the Prime Minister Corona Relief Fund. “Each railway porter will get Rs12,000 from the Ehsaas Cash Programme,” said Sheikh Rashid.

He further said the PR was making a strategy to send tickets to passengers at their homes in Karachi and Lahore on resumption of train service. He said the forensic report on sugar price hike could get delayed by 10 days. He claimed that the violators of Section 144 had been released in Balochistan and Punjab on his request.

“It’s my request to the Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to release Section 144 violators as has been done by the other provinces. Commenting on the decision to resume railway operations, the minister said they will make a decision after the lockdown ends on April 28. He said the Pakistan Railways had made hospitals in the wake of coronavirus in seven divisions.