Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has remarked Pakistan is stepping back rather than moving ahead despite being a nuclear state. He gave these remarks while presiding over a 2-member bench of Supreme Court (SC) during the course of hearing of suo motu notice of non-payment of pension and salaries to railway employees. Railway Board Secretary Shafi Ullah told the court that payment would be started to pensioners and employees from November 1. However, it can take one month in making payment to the pensioners through banks, he added. The CJP observed corruption had destroyed railway department. A senior citizen and a person who spends the whole life in serving railway loses his life while standing in queue for receiving pension but no one cares for him, he further remarked. Former Railway minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said the present management is responsible for destruction of railway department. Railway technical staff has been sent on leave forcibly and grade-16 employee has been allowed to work in place of grade-19. Railway scrap has been sold out at throwaway rate and influential persons are occupying railway land, he told. Situation in railway can be improved if illegally occupied land is recovered, he submitted. Railway Secretary Shafi Ullah told the court Sheikh Rashid was responsible for the prevailing situation in railway. The then railway management wanted to run cargo train but Sheikh Rashid ran 20 passenger trains due to which deterioration set in, he added. The CJP remarked what a plight of railway was that a bulb costing Rs 400 had been purchased at the rate of Rs 700. How such type of corruption would be contained, he questioned. Chairman Railway told railway scrap worth Rs 500000 per metric tone had been sold out at the rate of Rs 28000 metric tone. However sale of further scrap had been stopped, he added. The CJP remarked electric cable which was laid upto Khanewal had been stolen due to negligence. You have no money for PSO. Circular debt comes to you. How will payment of salaries amounting to Rs 2 billion be made to employees per month. How the affairs would run one when a grade-18 officer would be inducted on purchase duty in place of grade-21 officer, he questioned. Chairman Railway told task force had been constituted to increase revenue of department. The CJP remarked Talk of increasing the revenue when the trains will run. The hearing of the case has been adjourned till November 10.