R ECENTLY, I travelled from Islamabad to Karachi on the Tezgam Express. While bool(ing my ticket through the online reservation system, I found that only one seat was available in the AC Business Class. Naturally, I assumed the coach was almost full, and immediately booked that seat. However, when I boarded the train, I was shocked to find my compartment completely empty. At Rawalpindi, only a mother and her son joined me, and they were travelling only as far as Mian Channu. For the rest of the journey, most of the seats remained vacant.
What surprised me even more was that the ticket examiner repeatedly came to check how many seats were vacant and then sent several people to occupy them.
During casual conversation, some of these passengers said they 1(new railway staff, while one person mentioned that although he had purchased an economy-class ticket, he was allowed to travel in AC Business Class because of his ‘friendly’ connections.
This was a deeply disappointing experience. If seats remain unavailable on the official bool(ing system while they are later occupied throughunofñcial arrangements, the railway not only loses legitimate revenue, but also undermines the trust of those passengers who honestly purchase their tickets.
If Pal(istan Railways genuinely wants to reduce its losses, it should ensure that every available seat is offered transparently through the official reservation system. The bool(ing process should be fair, centralised and free from discretionary practices that create opportunitiesfor misuse. The authorities concerned need to investigate the prevailing practices and take meaningful steps to improve transparency and accountability. Public institutions can enjoy the confidence of citizens only when fairnessis upheld by andforeveryone.
Sohail Ahmed Khairpur Mirs