Divisional president Dr. Ishtiaq Irfan of the Railway Prem Union (CBA) said the Railway union is working day and night to defend workers’ rights and has demanded that the government immediately stop all food charges on railcars and at PTO outlets and settle outstanding pension dues of Pakistan Railway retirees.
The remarks were made during a ceremony at the Prem Union Electric Zone where Dr. Ishtiaq Irfan addressed union members and welcomed new entrants including Syed Naseer Shah, Farooq Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed Malik and Musarrat Javed who joined the union with their colleagues.
Senior leaders who spoke at the event included Syed Zahoor Shah, Younis Jutt, Muhammad Khan, Senior Vice President Khizar Hayat, Malik Tahir, Rustam Khan, Rasheed Khan Jadun, Waqar Swati and Hammad Wali. Speakers reiterated that the Railway union will press for prompt redress of long-standing grievances and would resort to protests if demands are not met.
Speakers highlighted problems at railway hospitals where patients receive checkups but are issued prescriptions for medicines that must be purchased externally. They urged the administration to ensure free medicines for railway workers and retirees given the current inflationary pressure on household budgets.
Senior leader Syed Zahoor Shah demanded restoration of allowances and arrears, noting that TLA-related payments calculated on a 37,000 salary scale have been suspended for four years and that the electrical technical allowance should be reinstated. The Railway union called for immediate payment of all dues to retired employees and warned that failure to act will compel the union to launch protests while urging the government to take these demands seriously.
