Pakistan railways to run five Eid Special trains: Sheikh Rashid
Twenty, out of thirty trains, were being run on profit while only four trains were in little deficit
LAHORE (APP) - Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Saturday that Pakistan Railways (PR) would run five Eid special trains to facilitate passengers.
Addressing a press conference here at PR headquarters, he said maximum encroachments would be removed from Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) in 15 days and all out efforts would also be made to clear all encroachments in one month.
The minister said, “On Wednesday, he will go to Sukkur to check railway track.” The PC-1 of Main Line 1 (ML-1) project was ready, he said and added that the incumbent government was free of corruption and that’s why foreign investment was pouring in. It has been decided to build up Railway Constructions Pakistan Limited (RAILCOP), he maintained.
He said, Jaffar Express, Pak Business Express, Khyber Mail and Tezgaam had been allowed to make stopover at Lahore Cantt station in order to reduce rush at Lahore railway station.
To a question, Sheikh Rashid said twenty , out of thirty trains, were being run on profit while only four trains were in little deficit which, he said, would be managed. In eight months, he said almost Rs 5 billion had been earned through the 30 trains.
He said, “Some powers don’t want to see railway track upto Gwadar.” The minister said that he wanted to see China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) operational at the earliest. Sheikh Rashid said, “Decision has been made to set up some 1000 stalls at railway stations and in this regard, tenders have also been invited for providing tea to passengers in railcars at low rates.”
To another query, he said all problems which the country was facing were actually caused by Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari. He said, all plunderers were about to form an alliance, adding that all opposition would be nowhere, if they get National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).
He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was facing all challenges on front line and he was making sincere efforts to overcome them. Now people have to decide who were right, whether those who had ruined the country in past or those who were striving hard for the development and prosperity of the country, he added.
