Dera Ghazi Khan-A nine-year-old girl passed away at Dera Ghazi Khan Railways Station Thursday night suffocation and dehydration while lack of facilities and apathy of the railway administration added to the hardships of the aggrieved family.
The railway police administration got off dead body and the family from the train and did not allow further traveling.
Syed Ayesha Bibi along with her two daughters - Muskan (9) and other another two years of age - without any male member, was travelling in 19 Up Khushhal Khan Khattak Express. They were returning from Karachi to celebrate Eidul Azha to their native town Jhangeeri (Attock city). During the journey near Kot Chutta railway station, 20 km away from DG Khan, Muskan felt himself unwell and thirsty. She and her mother requested to stop the train at upcoming station Kot Chutta but no one gave attention to their request. When the train arrived at DG Khan Station, Muskan passed away. Later, Rescuers 1122 declared her death.
The railway administration ignored that Ayesha was alone and in shock of her daughter's death, and did not allow her to travel more with dead body.
After many hours, some local citizens and journalists arranged a private ambulance for them.Railway police did not provide help to Ayesha Bibi but ordered him to sign a blank paper for official work. She did it with rolling tears.
When contacted, DG Khan station master Syed Qurban Shah said that officially he was helpless to help the affected family. To a question, he disclosed although a railway hospital was working here but post of medical officer was vacant for the last many years. Only one dispenser was available in hospital for patients, he said.
A railways officer with request of anonymity said that Pakistan Railways Advisory and Consultancy Services (PRACS) charge five rupees on every ticket from passengers as life insurance and collect hundreds of thousands rupees in this respect. In light of the fact, it was duty of railways administration to pay ambulance rent and give money of life insurance, because Muskan was insured as passenger by paying Rs5 on her ticket.