Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PJCCI) Director and Sarhad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) Standing Committee on Railways and Dry Port Chairman Ziaul Haq Sarhadi on Thursday appreciated allocation of Rs 31 billion for the revival of Pakistan Railways in the federal budget for financial year 2013-14. Commenting on the Federal Budget, he said the operation of Pakistan Railways through private sector would help arrest the deficit of the organization. He said that Afghan Transit Trade, which had shifted to Bandar Abbas of Iran would also come back to Pakistan and generate employment opportunities. Similarly, he said due to lacking of modern dry port facility, location disadvantage and weak provincial economy, majority of the industrial units have either been closed or operating under capacity. The revival of Pakistan Railways would have better impact on the economy of the province and will generate employment opportunities. He appreciated increase in the pension for the retired government employees, but added that increase in the salaries of the government employees was necessary not only for the eradication of corruption, but also for balancing out the impact of inflation.
