President envisions regional rail link

KHANEWAL/MULTAN—President general Pervez Musharraf has said Pakistan will make no progress if it does not go side by side the world. “Railway department was neglected in the past. But now we have to bring changes and go alongside the world. We will make no progress unless we go side by side the world”, he said this while addressing inauguration ceremony of dualization of railway track from Khanewal to Raiwind.
He went on to say that railway department was ignored in the past despite the fact that it was known to us railway is the best means of travelling for passengers and freight. The level of 4 percent freight reached by railway is disappointing, it should have been beyond this mark, he regretted.
President held that the goods should reach within a day from Karachi to Peshawar. When we will become able to do so, railway will progress. The roads remained focus of attention in the past and the railway was neglected. “ I started my efforts from 2000 for the development of railway”, he added.
The trains run at the speed of 300 kilometer per hour in the world, he indicated. In Pakistan they are running at the speed ranging between 80 to 100 kilometer. The speed will gear up following the dualization of railway track, he hoped.
He pointed out that world has a separate gauge. We purchase engines according to our own gauge. We make changes in the engines we import. Our gauge should increase now if we want to go alongside the world, he stressed.
Congratulating the nation he said that project of laying double railway track between Khanewal and Raiwind will be completed within one year instead of five year in collaboration with Frontier Works Organisation. The day Sheikh Rashid has assumed the charge of railway ministry, we are witnessing revolutionary changes in railway. Such reports are reaching me that railway fares have decreased, the number of passengers has gone up and money is flowing in railway.
President suggested that railway fare should be further curtailed. ailway will have to be made more profitable entity, he stressed. He told that double track project between Lahore and Rawalpindi will also be considered. We have to take forward this standard all over the country and we have to work out planning in this respect.
I am very happy to know that travelling time between Rawalpindi to Lahore will stand reduced by streamlining Rawalpindi, Lahore track. The passengers will now be able to reach Lahore from Rawalpindi from two and a half hours to three hours.
President urged that railway track should be laid between Pakistan and China. The track should also be laid from Quetta to Zahidan and Chaman and Kandhar. Development will come to Pakistan through linkages of China, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Central Asia.
It is matter of regret that the overhead bridge which is completed within six months in other countries of world takes several years in completion process in Pakistan, president noted. The growing number of vehicles is causing massive traffic jam in the country, he pointed out. We will have to correct this situation. Railway mass transit will have to be built in all major cities.
“ I will convene a conference for improvement in railway system”, president informed. Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said no fund was provided to railway from 1990 to 2001 and expenses were being met out of sale proceeds of railway tracks and property. Improvement is coming in railway and we have become able to make it a vibrant and profitable entity. Double track will be laid between Lahore and Karachi within one year. It will be our endeavour that the project is materialized ahead of elections.
Sheikh Rashid said people are happy over the uplift projects being initiated by the present government. Our future is bright on this count while PPP-P, PML-N future is bleak.—Agencies