Pakistan Railways; off track and into ruin

Published December 22, 2011
Pakistani railway workers repair a railway engine at a factory in Lahore
Pakistani railway workers repair a railway engine at a factory in Lahore
Pakistani railway workers repair a railway engine at a factory in Lahore.
Pakistani railway workers repair a railway engine at a factory in Lahore.
Pakistani policemen walk through a railway station in Lahore
Pakistani policemen walk through a railway station in Lahore
Train carriages park near the railway station  in Lahore.
Train carriages park near the railway station in Lahore.
Pakistani passengers board a train at a railway station  in Lahore.
Pakistani passengers board a train at a railway station in Lahore.
Pakistani railway workers leave after washing train carriages at railway station of Rawalpindi.
Pakistani railway workers leave after washing train carriages at railway station of Rawalpindi.
Pakistani passengers board a train at railway station in Rawalpindi.
Pakistani passengers board a train at railway station in Rawalpindi.

Corruption, mismanagement and neglect are driving Pakistan Railways into ruin, ending all goods haulage, and leaving millions of passengers stranded. In the three years since the current government took power, ending a decade of military rule, the Railways has retired 64 of its 104 trains, leaving just 40 left for a country larger than Britain and Germany combined. With expected losses of 35 billion rupees (390 million USD) in fiscal year July 2011 to June 2012 the company relies on government handouts of 2.5 billion rupees (2.8 million USD) a month to pay salaries and pensions.  -- Text and photos by AFP.

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