ISLAMABAD – Quashing rumours, State Minister for Railways Mohammad Afzal Sindhu on Wednesday said no plans to privatise Pakistan Railways were under consideration and the railway is still the ‘cheapest and safest’ mode of travel in the country. Responding to different queries put forth by lawmakers during the Question Hour, Sindhu said Pakistan Railways had workshops for maintenance of faulty engines and coaches.
He said the Ministry of Railways signed two loan agreements with Export-Import Bank of China on December 14, 2009 for procurement of 75 locomotives and 202 passenger carriages. “There is a proposal to connect China with Pakistan through a rail link between Havelian in Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa and Khunjrab in Gilgit-Baltistan,” he added. He said the feasibility study will decide whether the project is financially and economically viable.
The minister said that a proposal to operate a new air-conditioned Business Train between Lahore and Karachi, to be run by a public-private partnership, was still under consideration, along with another proposal of purchasing locomotives from South Korea. He said the Korean Railways was interested in supplying 50 used locomotives of 3000 horsepower to Pakistan, prior to which a memorandum of understanding will be signed between the railway ministries of the two countries.
Meanwhile, Minister for Women Development Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan told the House that keeping in view the residential problems of workingwomen, the government will build hostels in major cities of the country. Initially, she added, the facilities will be provided in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and the ministry has already acquired two plots from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for the purpose.
