Train services not to resume from May 10: Sheikh Rashid

LAHORE: Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad rescinded his ministry's earlier announcement on Thursday, said the train services would not resume from May 10 as the provinces failed to come to an agreement.

The train services across the country had been suspended in a bid to curb coronavirus pandemic, which has infected more than 24,500 people and killed almost 600.

"A consensus could not be developed between the provinces," Rashid said. "I hope that Prime Minister Imran Khan allows resumption of train services before Eid-ul-Fitr," he added.

Earlier this month, the federal minister had assured that no worker from his industry would be let go due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

In his Labour Day comments, Rashid had acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic had badly impacted the labour class and that millions would likely go below the poverty line due to the crisis and its economic impacts across the world.

Sheikh Rashid added that some 30 million people were expected to lose their jobs in the US due to coronavirus.

The Main Line-1 project would be the fate of the railways from which 100,000 people could get gobs, the minister added, paying tribute to the millions of workers of the country for their contribution in the progress.