Country can be run without IMF: minister

LAHORE: Minister for Railways, Khawaja Saad Rafique has said the country can be run without IMF but it needed political stability and wise decisions. He regretted that previous government did not make any progress on much needed Main Line-1 (ML-1) project which would provide revolutionary cheap transport service to the people.

Addressing a Press conference at Railways Headquarters on Tuesday, he said the expenses on ML-1 had increased from $3 6.3 million to $9 million. He said at present 21 power vans were non-functional. Thousands of employees have not received pension for two and a half years, he said, adding that new machinery and furnaces imported in 2018-19 were still lying without installation, and maintenance and cleanliness of stations and trains was in poor condition. To a question, he said instead of announcing the long march Imran Khan should have understood that the time for politicians for throwing out one another must come to an end and they have to follow the Constitution and tolerate each other.

He said it must be realised that country was sinking while all stakeholders are firm in their stance. He warned that if the present situation continued further the country would not be left governable soon. To a question, he said, the country can be run without IMF but it needed political stability and wise decisions. He said if further political experimentation was not done unlike the past, the decisions should be based on Constitution and laws, instead of doctrine of necessity, then country would progress again; otherwise, the political confrontation would further escalate and lead to a deadlock.

Saad Rafique alleged that previous government recruited incompetent people in Railways which brought a crisis and caused serious accidents. He said that the government decided not to increase fares of passenger trains but only the freight charges would be increased. He regretted that a rape incident occurred in Zakariya Express and announced providing employment to the victim woman.

He said during PMLN government in 2018, the railways profit had increased from Rs18 billion to Rs50 billion and losses had been reduced to Rs32 billion. He said during the previous government, the revenue was Rs53 billion while the deficit was 37 billion. He said in three and a half years, PTI government increased only three billion profits but losses rose to much greater proportions. He said during PMLN government, Railcop Company was earning Rs400 million per annum, but last year its loss was Rs9 million. He said during the previous government, all decisions were made in the ministry bypassing the railway headquarters. He said no political recruitments would be made in Railways and Civil Aviation. He said Railway officers are competent enough to run the department.