Islamabad, Oct 13 (IANS): Pakistan Railways is teetering on the brink of disaster, warned a daily and said it was "symptomatic" that the shortage of engines was to be met from India.

An editorial in The Nation Thursday said that barely two days back, 54 short-distance trains were not run for want of fuel, while 102 trains could not be operated because of a shortage of locomotives.

"As it is, Railways is teetering on the brink of disaster."

The editorial said that railways is "cheaper than road for people... (and) is unrivalled for goods, especially in bulk".

"It is symptomatic that the shortage of engines is to be met from India."

Pakistan wants to hire 50 engines from India.

An acute shortage of rail engines has forced the authorities to stop running trains on dozens of routes.

Rail workshops were unable to repair faulty engines due to lack of spare parts and equipment and funds to buy them.

"However, the provision of engines alone will not turn around the fortunes of that organisation. That needs Railways not to be regarded as a cash cow meant only to be milked, and as a source of luxurious living for its officials," the editorial stressed.

It said that Railways routes, if run properly, could be profitable, but "that would require ending the waste and extravagance that is such a burden on the Railways".