- Rail track to be upgraded from Karachi to Peshawar to double speed from existing 80km per hour to 160km per hour
Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal on Friday said agreements for the construction of an international airport and expressway in Gwadar and upgradation of railway track ML-1 were on the agenda of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif during his week-long visit to China.
In an interview in the flight en-route to Beijing along with the prime minister to attend Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Chinese capital, Ahsan said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was world’s biggest ever project of regional connectivity and shining part of the One Belt and One Road (OBOR) initiative.
Under the OBOR, China was aiming at establishing regional connectivity with Africa and Asia through multiple linkages, he said. After an MoU between the two leaders, the two countries reached an agreement for the execution of various projects costing $46 billion. He also said though the visit of Chinese president faced a delay, the government managed to launch work worth over $50 billion including energy and infrastructure.
He said a distinctive aspect of the BRF was that it was being participated by the chief ministers of the four provinces which would give a strong message of cohesiveness among the national leadership on national security, development and particularly the CPEC. Under CPEC, railway track would be upgraded from Karachi to Landi Kotal to double the speed from existing 80 kilometres per hour to 160km per hour.
Such an upgradation of railways would not only usher an era of economic development by enhancing local market’s access to other markets besides enhancing competitiveness. Minister for Railways Saad Rafique also said that the flagship One Belt, One Road Forum would help Pakistan improve its connectivity sector, particularly railways.
He termed the CPEC as a game changing project to usher in a new era of prosperity in the country. He said the OBOR vision of Chinese president was a mega project aimed at developing a strong connectivity in the region, adding that the vision was joined by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif under the umbrella of CPEC.
Saad said that the travel time by train from Lahore to Karachi would be reduced from 18 to 12 hours and from Lahore to Islamabad would be lessened to two hours. He said that Pakistan and China were expected to sign a new framework for the revival and upgradation of Main Line-1 (ML-1) from Karachi to Peshawar.
To a question on four chief ministers of Punjab, Sindh, Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan travelling along with the prime minister to participate in the OBOR forum, the minister said it was a clear message to the world that all political parties were united on matters of national importance. “We are visiting China as Pakistanis and not as representatives of political parties,” he said.
