As reported in the press, the NA committee has warned that Pakistan Railways (PR) is likely to end its operations and become a chapter of history if the government fails to curtail its current high losses of Rs 45 billion.
PR could be put back on track by immediately starting fast container trains on the main lines, instead of fast passenger trains, limiting such passenger trains to a minimum in whatever locomotives are available. This is done all over the world as the main source of revenue for railways is freight trains, while passenger trains have to be subsidised. Instead of following this basic principle in Pakistan, passenger trains get priority over freight trains, causing losses to the Railways, besides other losses to the state for higher diesel imports (as road trucks consume almost ten times more fuel per ton/km as compared to rail), higher expenses on highways, greater number of road accidents, higher carbon/greenhouse gas emissions etc.
PR has suffered decades of sheer neglect, during which the locomotives, rolling stock and infrastructure have suffered unprecedented damage. Since state funds are difficult to find, there is a way to overcome this by invoking the “UN Carbon Credit Fund” of millions of dollars to rehabilitate the Railways, as there will be a huge reduction in carbon emissions if cargo is transferred from roads to rails. The NA Committee should look seriously into this proposition.
S M H RIZVI
Karachi
