- Jinnah Express and Sir Syed Express will be launched next month
RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad said on Wednesday that 20 new freight trains would be launched during the current year to improve the economic condition of Pakistan Railways.
“Two VIP trains, ‘Jinnah Express’ and ‘Sir Syed Express’, would be launched next month,” the minister said while talking to media at the Rawalpindi Railway Station.
He said that the railways would run VIP trains to facilitate the traders, industrialists, exporters and foreigners.
Sheikh Rasheed said he had asked the Railways officials to improve the service standard and cleanliness condition in trains to attract more passengers, adding that the department would play an important role in promoting tourism in the country.
He disclosed that the department is going to enhance salaries of Pakistan Railways Police so as to bring them at par with the salaries of the Punjab Police. He hoped that after the increase in salaries, the performance of railways police would improve.
To a question, he said the policy of zero tolerance on corruption was being implemented in the department.
“With an effective economic strategy and support of friendly countries, the present government had successfully managed to improve the economy,” the minister claimed, adding that the government should now clean all the state institutions and departments from the menace of corruption, as people had voted the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) due to its anti-corruption agenda.
He said that three trains, including Rehman Baba Express that runs between Peshawar and Karachi, had 140 to 160 seat occupancy and was earning more than other trains.
Ticketless travelling was being discouraged and the railways had recovered Rs60 million from such passengers in a month, he added.
“A complaint cell is being developed at Islamabad which would entertain all complaints besides providing information about the trains,” he stated.
