ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways has sent as many as 266 officials to purchase machinery and other material from abroad to upgrade and meet the operational requirements of the department during the last five years.
“The officials visited different countries in connection with pre-shipment inspections and 105 officers for technical training to know about the proper utilization of these machine items,” an official in the Ministry of Railways told media.
Pakistan Railways always purchases machinery from abroad for the repair, maintenance and operational purposes+ which are not available in the country, he added.
The official said that therefore, it is not based on fact that the said items, machinery were being manufactured or were available in the country.
He said that it is a fact that a number of officers from all departments of Pakistan Railways visited various countries for pre-shipment inspections and training in connection with the said purchases on the expenses of companies from which those items were purchased.
Federal Minister for Railways being the competent authority had granted permission for the said visits, the official added.
To a question, he said that Pakistan Railways never discontinued the train service on Kasur-Narowal section during the last five years.
There is no direct linkage between Kasur and Narowal Stations as both are situated on two different routes.
The official said that currently there is no proposal to start any new train service on Lahore-Narowal- Sialkot and Lahore-Raiwind-Kasur sections.
