LAHORE: Keeping in view the increasing oil prices and other financial constraints, the Pakistan Railways (PR) on Tuesday announced increase in fares of all express passenger trains by 10 per cent andfreightcharges of allgoods` trains by 15pc with immediate effect. However, it dropped the idea ofincreasingfaresoflocalpassenger trains.

`Due to increasing oil prices, we are bearing a massive financial impact of Rs8 billion that cannot be avoidedwithoutincreasingfares andfreight charges. Since we are left with no option, we, in the prevailing circumstances, have decided to increase fares of all express passenger trains by10pc andfreight trains by 15pc,` Minister for Railways and Aviation Khwaja Saad Rafique told journalists at a press conference here at the PR`s headquarters.

`We are not increasing fares of local passenger trains, which are not the express ones,` he added.

Criticising the Pakistan Tehreek-iInsaf government, he said it caused massive destruction to the PR a department, according to him, was in profit during the PML-N`s 2013-18 regime.

`The retired employees didn`t receive their pensions/ dues for the last two and a half years. He claimed that the railway was in Rs36.6 billion deficit during the last PML-N regime that surged to Rs37bn in the PTI`s regime. The department`s income during the PML-N`s regime increased from Rs18bn to Rs50bn.

`The PR`s Railcop company was earning Rs400 million profit but it f aced Rs9m loss last year.

To a question, he said the woman raped in the Zikriya Express would be given job in the PR soon. `Moreover, we will also give a stipend to her on a monthly basis,` he added.