Pakistan Railways has decided to expedite work on the Islamabad-Istanbul train project.
This was decided in a meeting chaired by Pakistan Railways Chairman Habibur Rehman Gilani on Saturday to review the ongoing issues pertaining to the operationalisation of the train.
The participants of the meeting discussed security, track situation, rolling stock and availability of locomotives for the train.
The chairman directed the PR team for Islamabad-Istanbul train to immediately contact the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) Secretariat by removing all hurdles and problems in the launch of the train service. He also directed the railways police and other security agencies to ensure protection of the project when it becomes operational.
Meanwhile, Federal Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati has vowed to make Pakistan Railways profitable in the next nine months.
Addressing a news conference on Friday, Swati said that Pakistan Railways would earn Rs30 billion through freight trains, adding that railways and Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) would work together to make the organisation efficient.
The minister said that strengthening of railways was imperative for overall economic development of the country. “Railways’ land in Rawalpindi and Islamabad will be used in public-private partnership programmes to generate income.”
