PML-N will be split into two factions by Dec: Sheikh Rashid

LAHORE: Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid claimed that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would split into two factions by December this year, The News reported on Sunday.

Addressing media at the Railways headquarters, the minister said that the PML-Shahbaz [PML-S] would part ways with the PML-Nawaz [PML-N] by the year-end and that the PML-S would be a party of stone-carvers, while the PML-N would consist of stones-throwers, he added in his typical cryptic style.

The minister sarcastically said that London was becoming a hub of fugitives, as people being declared absconders by the courts taking refuge in the UK capital.

Nawaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar, Suleman Shahbaz, Ali Imran, Hussain Nawaz, and Altaf Hussain had taken refuge in London, he said, adding that now even courts were raising questions about the illness of PML-N supremo.

“They were saying how it was possible that a person with serious diseases was not admitted to any hospital,” he said, adding that Shehbaz Sharif was simply repenting his decision of coming back to the country.

Condemning the recent Motorway rape incident, the railway minister said that CCPO Lahore Umar Sheikh made an irresponsible statement.

Talking about the railway operations in Karachi, the minister said that the metropolitan was being turned into the mini headquarters of the Pakistan Railways.

Read more: Sheikh Rashid says second book to reveal 'sensational events of Pakistan's history'

Apprising about the several steps that were being taken for improvement in the railways, the minister said that it was decided to reduce the fare of Air-Conditioned Business class by 10%, and that of A/C Standard class by 5%.

He announced that dinning cars with the trains were being restored from Monday, adding that they were removed due to coronavirus. He said that the schedule of the trains would also be improved soon.

Lamenting that the heavy rains had flooded Karachi and other areas of Sindh badly affecting the train schedule, the minister said that the railways would enhance revenue by making cargo services better.

Soon transportation of wheat and sugar would be carried out by the Railways across the country, he said, adding that the shipments would be delivered at customers’ doorsteps by cargo service of the Pakistan Railways.