Lahore April 14 (TNS): The Supreme Court on Saturday ordered the audit of Pakistan Railways (PR) budget and submit a report.
Taking up a suo moto notice in the alleged corruption in PR at the Supreme Court Lahore registry, a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar inquired from Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique about the state of the affairs of the railways.
The chief justice also grilled Rafique over his alleged objectionable remarks against the judiciary. When the minister insisted that he has sacrificed and went to jail for the independence of the judiciary, the chief justice told him that he could be put in the jail again over his contemptuous remarks and confrontational posture.
When the railway minister told the bench that a lot had been to improve the state of the affairs of the railway and it will take at least 12 years for a complete turnaround, the chief justice mockingly told him, “then it means he should be given the charge for another 12 years with his re-election”.
The chief justice also said that gone were the days when people would disrespect courts but it will no more be tolerated.
Later talking to the media, Raqiue said that the profit of PR stood at Rs50 billion and losses at Rs35 billion. He said that he tried his best to make the PR a profitable entity and did away with favouritism. The minister said that he respected institutions and did want confrontation.
