ISLAMABAD – The government on Wednesday admitted that there was no short cut to improve the performance of the Pakistan Railways and any improvement could only be achieved once a heavy investment was made for purchasing new locomotives. Railways Parliamentary Secretary Nauman Islam Shaikh said while replying to a question of PML-N MNA Nisar Tanveer during the NA question-hour session that since 1973, Pakistan last purchased locomotives in 2002. “Since then, no investment has been made to purchase locomotives. Railways will collapse if no further investment is made in this regard,” he said.
To another question, he said there was no proposal to lease out Pakistan Railways. However, its restructuring was under process and consultation of Railways Board of Directors and major representation from private sector was also underway, he said.
About the facilities being provided to passengers during journeys, he said 41 Railway Stations had been computerised for online ticketing, while a new reservation office had started functioning at Karachi Cantt Railway station. A new reservation office has started functioning in Lahore as well, he said.
He said electronic train monitoring boards had been installed at 30 main Railway stations and new Chinese passenger coaches had been inducted in the system for passengers’ comfort and safe journey. Shaikh said Pakistan Railways was providing catering services in 28 trains to facilitate passengers during the journey. Moreover, stalls and refreshments rooms and other amenities were available at railway stations
“Filtration plants have been installed at six railway stations i.e. Sukkur, Rohri, Kotri, Mirpur Khas, Dadu and Sibi,” he added. Meanwhile, the government claimed that the target of producing 15 million bales of cotton this year would be achieved as various steps had been taken in this regard, Parliamentary Secretary for Food and Agriculture Nawab Liaqat Ali Khan said. Replying to a supplementary question, he said 10 percent more area would be brought under cultivation this year to increase the production. To another question, he said Pakistan produced 67.2 thousand tonnes of garlic in 2008-09, while the country’s consumption was 80 thousand tonnes. “There is a shortage of about 13 thousand tonnes that is being fulfilled through imports,” he said.
The production of ginger had substantially increased to 95 thousand tonnes during 2008-09 as compared to the production of 57 tonnes during 2007-08. This increase in production was due to increase in area under ginger cultivation from 121 hectares in 2007-08 to 195 hectares in 2008-09. To a question on the provision of free of cost seeds and fertilisers to farmers in flood-affected areas, he said the federal government had already provided Rs 4101.480 million as “Rabi Assistance Package”.
