Railways ministry grilled over data irregularities

The Senate Standing Committee on Railways on Monday slammed the Ministry of Railways for its lack of seriousness and failure to provide accurate data on corruption and financial losses, demanding accountability for officials responsible for misleading parliament. Chairman of the committee, Senator Jam Saifullah Khan, criticised the ministry for repeatedly submitting inconsistent information, despite receiving three reminders. He said the failure to comply with parliamentary directives reflected poorly on internal accountability mechanisms within the ministry. Senator Shahadat Awan, who had requested detailed data on financial losses, corruption cases, and railway accidents over the past five years, described the delayed and inaccurate information as a breach of privilege. He emphasised that transparency and due diligence were crucial, particularly in matters involving millions of public funds.