WAZIRABAD - Passengers held a protest demonstration as the engines of two trains failed at Railway Station Wazirabad.
The protesters laid siege to the office of SM and ASM. Karachi bound Pakistan Express 46 Down arrived at Wazirabad Railway Station at 9.50am and soon after departure from the station, the train halted again near washing line on Faisalabad Section. The train personnel informed the TD Office Wazirabad of overheating of its engine and sought permission to return to the station. The staff shunted the train back to the platform 5, removed the engine from the rack and shifted it to loco shed.
Meanwhile, Lahore bound 104 down passenger train arrived in the plate form 3 as its engine also failed due to fault in wiring. The staff repaired the wiring of engine and the train could depart for Lahore after half an hour. The train dispatcher in Wazirabad informed the traffic controller Lahore about the failure of engine and sought relief engine. Meanwhile, Jafar Express reached the station but passengers of Pakistan Express blocked the line and did not give way to Jafar Express.
After some people on the station requested the protestors not to disturb the other passengers on humanity basis, the protesters allowed Jafar Express to go after 20 minutes. Later, hundreds of protesters including women and children marched on the station and laid siege to the office of Stationmaster and ASM. They were raising slogans against the railway administration and poor performance of the government.
The protesters rushed to the TD Office but the attempt was foiled by the police and civilians. Almost all the passengers including women and children took shelter in the platform the platform and under trees due to hot weather and humidity.
In the meantime, the controller Railway Lahore sent a relief engine which reached Wazirabad at 1.50pm. It took more than 20 minutes on for change of direction. Pakistan Express could leave for Faisalabad at 2.15pm after collective stoppage of 4.15 hours while the dead engine of was sent back to Lala Musa (Rawalpindi Division).