Pakistan’s Top Railway Official Calls New Rail Minister Extremely Unprofessional, Says Won’t Work Under Him

A top Pakistani railway official has reportedly sought 730 days leave as the new Federal Minister for Railways, Sheikh Rasheed, is “extremely non-professional and ill-mannered”, Press Trust of India has reported.

The civil servant who is the Chief Commercial Manager of Pakistan Railways has been trending on Pakistani social media ever since his leave request went viral.

Here is a copy of the said letter:

In the letter, Gul wrote that “with due respect, it is submitted that the attitude of new minister is extremely non-professional and ill-mannered”. He thus said that as a civil servant it wasn’t possible for him to work for the Minister. As a result, he requested that a 730-day leave be granted to him.

It is reported that the Minister recently chaired railway officials meeting where he is reported to have admonished them for concocting “stories” about the improved performance of Pakistan Railways. The Minister is also said to have issued instructions to the effect that no other Minister’s work should be appreciated in his presence.

Rasheed is said to have been a trenchant critic of former Railways Minister Saad Rafique’s performance. While the news about a civil servant seeking 2 years paid leave may no doubt be amusing, such issues raise questions over the ability of the new Pakistan Prime Minister’s cabinet to deliver results for the Naya Pakistan envisaged by the present dispensation.