Two PR officials suspended over Pattoki accident.

Byline: Khalid Hasnain

LAHORE -- The Pakistan Railways (PR) administration on Thursday placed two of its officers under suspension in the wake of May 26 train-car collision at a level-crossing near Pattoki that left two newly-wed couples dead.

Earlier, the PR Lahore division authorities had suspended service of its three employees - two gate men and a mate (Gang No-14) - for showing negligence in performing their duties, resulting in the collision. The mate, Mahmood Ahmad, who, as per a preliminary PR report, did not shut the gate at the time of passing of the train (2-Down Khyber Mail) on Tuesday and Allah Rakha (gate man), who left the duty place without handing over charge to his colleague (reliever) Ahmad Sarfraz (gate man), were arrested on Thursday. Police were also looking for Sarfraz who is at large.

PR's divisional superintendent Amir Nisar Chaudhry, who visited the families of the four persons killed in the incident on Thursday to offer condolence, told Dawn, 'We may also pay compensation to the deceased persons' families if our top authorities (minister...