Pakistan Railways (PR) is all set to buy 150 new engines of American design for 44 billion rupees. It has 595 railway engines on record (see website of PR). Pakistan has a railway repair and rehabilitation factory in Nowshera, KPK. On Supreme Court’s pressure, PR managed to repair 19 engines within two months time.
So, why is it that we are not considering spending this Rs 44 billion on repairing our 576 broken engines rusting away in scrapyards and at various train stations? And if it is decided to purchase new engines, what has PR decided to do with the broken 576 engines that are being disassembled and stolen for scrap?
Why are we considering to purchase them from an American company when America is a country that loves putting sanctions on Pakistan? Do we really want to be under pressure of sanctions when we require spare parts for the engines?
Pakistan Railways claim that the engines bought from China all broke down and they don’t have a contract for the spare parts. Should PR not be directing their efforts onto securing a contract for the spare parts, especially since a lot of Chinese delegates visited Pakistan recently and it would have been a good opportunity to request their help in this matter?
But I guess the logical solutions are not the most profitable ones.
MANSOOR TARIQ
Peshawar