19 trains introduced in three years to facilitate passengers
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan Railways has introduced 19 passenger trains to ensure safe and speedy journey during last three years.
These comprised 12 inter city trains including four non-stop and seven long lead trains to facilitate passengers. Highlighting the major accomplishment made during last three years, official sources Friday said a project of rehabilitation of 400 passenger coaches has been started in Carriage factory, Islamabad and computerized reservation facility has also been provided at 33 major Railway Stations over the system.
By virtue of this on-line computerized reservation system, passengers can avail the return journey reservation facility. Moreover, the facilities of computerized ticketing on-line has been extended to passengers of 33 important mail/express trains.
The sources said E-Ticketing system and purchase of tickets through Credit Card from Computerized Ticketing and Reservation at three Major Station of Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi have also been introduced this year. Under joint venture between Pakistan railways and Pakistan Post, railways tickets are being sold at 52 selected Post Offices.
Significant development in the freight business has also been seen during the last three years with introduction of fast high capacity cargo express six days a week, with new high speed, high capacity wagons between Badami Bagh and Karachi city with reduced time of 35 hours.
Some of the other initiatives included doubling of track from Lodhran to Khanewal and onwards to Raiwind, procurement of 144 DE locos, 775 passenger coaches and 2300 high capacity wagons continues. Feasibility studies for laying new tracks on Bostan-Zhob-Peshawar, Dina to Mirpur, and Shahdara- Faislabad sections continued. The basic objective of the projects is enhancement in quality of public service, boost in freight and passenger business and to run the railways on commercial lines keeping in view the national interest.
Pakistan Railways also introduced Cargo Express three days a week between Faisalabad and Karachi via Multan with 48 hours running time. Non-bonded container terminal at Moghalpura and Karachi has already started operation while the government made joint venture with private sector and NLC for establishing container terminals at Prem Nagar and Jia Bagga respectively.
The sources said like other areas of communications, the government is focusing on transforming Pakistan Railways into a commercially-oriented entity to maximum facilitate the public. The government is endeavouring to revitalize the railways with the main thrust of current policy is improvement of infrastructure and procurement of essential material for locomotives, coaches, bogie wagons and track rehabilitation of the railway network.