Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday inaugurated the revamped Pak Business Express at Lahore Railway Station, calling it a milestone in the ongoing drive to modernize Pakistan Railways.
The upgraded train service, which runs between Lahore and Karachi, is equipped with digitised ticketing systems, modern waiting lounges, reception counters, and European-style travel comforts. Designed to cater to both elite and regular commuters, the train will cover the journey in roughly 18.5 hours.
Addressing the launch ceremony, the Prime Minister lauded Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi, crediting him with “turning the impossible into possible” by breathing new life into the struggling rail sector.
He also acknowledged former minister Khawaja Saad Rafique’s efforts under the previous PDM government, especially in upgrading railway stations and recovering encroached land.
Highlighting broader economic and diplomatic initiatives, Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan and China are now moving forward together under a reenergised China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Phase II. He added that efforts are also underway to restore and reshape Pakistan’s diplomatic relations with the United States, ushering in what he termed “a new era in Pak-US relations.”
On the economic front, the Prime Minister claimed that the country is finally turning a corner. He pointed to a 5% decline in inflation and improving macroeconomic indicators as proof that recent policies are working. “In the coming months, we will see even greater success in the economic domain,” he added.
Shehbaz also revealed that Punjab is willing to invest Rs350 billion toward Pakistan Railways’ uplift as part of the broader modernization plan.
On national security, the Prime Minister reiterated that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal serves as a key deterrent and a guarantor of peace. He praised the armed forces for their actions during the May 9 incident, calling it a “historic defeat for India” and a demonstration of Pakistan’s military strength on the global stage.
“The world witnessed how our armed forces used courage, skill, and modern technology to counter a much larger adversary,” he said.
He also referenced former U.S. President Donald Trump’s earlier remark that the United States had helped avert a full-scale war between Pakistan and India comments which, he noted, “still aggravate Modi.”
Calling the revamped Pak Business Express just the beginning, the Prime Minister concluded with a broader message: “We must embrace hard work and honesty as our guiding principles to change Pakistan’s destiny.”
