Life on the rail is filled with its own romance and for centuries, writers such as Agatha Christie, Ernest Hemmingway and many others have captured their readers’ imaginations with vivid accounts of rail journeys. But that was a long time ago, when rail journeys were a novelty and making sure that trains ran properly and on time was hard work.

Even though mass transit is now automated around the world, Pakistan is one of the last places on earth where the railways are still analog. Indeed, most of the telegraph equipment dates back to the days of the British Raj. Oversized ancient telephones are still used to communicate from cabin to cabin and switch operators – who guide trains on their journeys up and down the country – are still relayed instructions manually. At every railroad crossing, points have to be switched by hand and even the slightest slip up could result in catastrophe.

The men and women of the Pakistan Railways toil hard to keep the system running like a well-oiled machine. Tasks such as driving an engine or manning the cabins are hard work that may not be well-rewarded. But thanks to dedicated workers such as Inayat Rehman, Sultan Ahmed and Fazl Dad, Pakistan’s decrepit rail system keeps on chugging.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2015

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