SC orders complete audit of Pakistan Railways

Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has been directed by the Supreme Court (SC) to submit a complete audit report of Pakistan Railways over the alleged Rs 60 billion corruption in the department.

The two-member bench headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar resumed the suo motu hearing on Saturday, where a heated exchange of words were passed between the minister and the CJP.

Once the minister was called to the rostrum, Justice Nisar had chided Rafique for his speeches in which he had made derogatory remarks about the institutions. In his defence, Rafique said that those remarks were not for the judges but for his political opponents, local media reported.

The minister further said that if the judges did not want to hear his clarification he would leave, to which the CJP warned that contempt proceedings will be initiated against him if he left.

Saad Rafique inaugurates new building of Okara Model Railway Station

Rafique informed the court that losses of the railways had increased from Rs 30 billion to Rs 35 billion. Sharing the revenue of railways department, the minister said the income had increased from Rs 18 billion to Rs 50 billion.

The SC had taken a suo motu notice of the alleged corruption in the railways on April 7 and had
summoned railways minister, secretary and board members.