Update: May 19, 2020
According to ARY News, Pakistan Railways has opened its online ticket booking facility from Monday mid-night. The announcement was regarding the resumption of the operations of 30 trains from May 20, 2020.
The citizens will now be able to book their tickets online for the passenger trains resuming operations from May 20.
Moreover, passengers booked their tickets before the imposition of lockdown will be given priority to travel through the trains. However, the facility to book tickets online will be closed after a quota of 60 percent of ticketing has been completed.
Furthermore, it is said that the railway department will make a full refund to the passengers who are not willing to travel anymore.
Federal Railway Minister Sheikh Rasheed also said that,
“Action will be taken against the regional superintendent over violation of SOPs.” He also added that railways would operate more trains from June 1, if the situation in the country gets better.
Moreover, he also announced that ticket prices would also be reduced by 50-60 percent, which would affect the ministry.
Update: April 14, 2020
Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed said in a statement that passenger train services were not being restored from April 15.
He further mentioned that only ‘goods trains’ would be operated until April 24, he said.
Pakistan suspended passenger train services from March 25 in a bid to stem the coronavirus spread.
Moreover, Sheikh Rasheed said that the decision to run passenger trains from the first of Ramazan would be made after consultation with the prime minister.
He also added that his ministry had offered the use of trains as quarantine centers in Chaman and Taftan, Balochistan.
Update: March 25, 2020
On Tuesday, Pakistan Railways has announced to suspend all passenger trains across the country till March 31 to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Moreover, according to a notification released by the Ministry of Railways, the train service will remain suspended from midnight (Wednesday) till March 31.
However, the railway authorities have said that those who booked their tickets in advance from the reservation counters should contact the ministry for a refund.
With an alarming number of more than 245 cases being tested positive for coronavirus in Sindh (March 20), the Sindh government is doing everything it can to assist in contain and fight the virus.
On request of the Sindh government, Pakistan railways have restricted travel of citizens from and to the province. On March 19, a new channel confirmed the suspension of 12 local trains had been ordered, effective immediately. The directives come straight from Federal Minister of Railways, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed announced at a press conference.
The destination of all twelve trains is Karachi. The decision comes in after coronavirus cases have been reportedly multiplying in Sindh.
The closure will come into effect from March 22. The federal minister assured that if required, more trains will be suspended as a precautionary measure, following the world restricting travel, to avoid the spread of the virus.
The suspended trains are Khushal Khan Khattak Express, Akbar Bugti Express, Sindh Express, Shah Latif Express, Ravi Express, and Rohi Express, among others. The railway of Pakistan will refund tickets for those who had planned to travel on the trains mentioned above.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed the nation, emphasizing that Pakistan can’t afford to lockdown its cities as other economically advanced countries to contain the coronavirus as our economy is relatively fragile. Here, the poor will die of hunger.
“Our economic situation is very fragile,” he said. “If we close down the country, what will happen to the poor? People will die of hunger here,” he said.
However, there are some precautions that the government of Pakistan is taking while battling with the novel coronavirus.
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