The Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, Monday, announced that work on the 480 km long Rohri-Karachi track will start in September with an estimated cost of $ 2 billion.
The Railways Minister was addressing the ceremony held here to mark the initial commencement of The International School Pakistan Railways Campus Karachi aimed at delivering world class education within a framework of national partnership and common growth. The Governor Sindh Nehal Hashmi, Secretary Railways Mazahar Ali Shah, GM Hafeezullah, DG Rubina Nasir, CEO TIS Taymur Mirza and others attended the ceremony.
Elaborating the measures for improvement of the Rohri-Karachi section of main double line, the minister said that it is the most difficult track built in the 1860s. The Prime Minister has decided that the 480 km long Rohri-Karachi track will be rejuvenated with an estimated cost of $ 2 billion and foundation stone of the work is expected to be laid in September this year.
Hanif Abbasi expressed pleasure on development works carried out at the school and said that Pakistan Railways have 14 schools across the country for facilitating education of its employees’ children but unfortunately those schools were in a pathetic condition.
Pakistan Railways has entered into partnership with The International School to ameliorate the condition of the Railway School Karachi and ensure quality education for the children of its employees in a standard environment, he said adding that all the 14 schools were being outsourced in a transparent manner after fulfillment of set criteria and due legal requirements and the enrolled students will avail the opportunity to acquire quality education.
Likewise, we are also working to ensure provision of quality healthcare facilities to Pakistan Railways employees and 7 railways hospitals were also being outsourced on partnership basis where employees will be able to get medical facilities of international standard, he stated.
The federal minister also elaborated various measures for improvement of railway stations, platforms and other facilities and informed that the process of complete digitization of Pakistan Railways was underway and it will be completed within a period of one month.
Hanif Abbasi said that Pakistan Railways and Punjab Government had inked an agreement to modernize and expand rail services across the province. The project included the development of fast and regional routes in the province and introduction of modern and state-of-the-art trains while the Punjab government will provide advanced Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) locomotives.
He, while referring to the escalated situation in the Middle East and the remarkable diplomatic role of Pakistan in defusing the tension, expressed pride that today Pakistan has become the center of the attention of the entire world.
We not only averted a conflict between two brotherly countries- Saudi Arabia and Iran- but also prevented the beginning of the Third World War through successful diplomacy and mediation efforts that the world will remember forever, he noted and attributed the achievement to Martyrs and personnel of Pakistan’s valiant armed forces.
Responding to a media query about regional rail connectivity, Hanif Abbasi said that Pakistan is going to start development of a railway track connecting Central Asia and Europe via Iran soon. The work on the 900 km long Rohri-Naukundi section has already been initiated on the directives of the Prime Minister and tendering process for laying off new railway track on the 87 km Naukundi-Taftan section has been started.
Responding to another query he said that a project to connect Thar Coal with railway line was under way and the track from Islamkot to Chhor is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The Sindh Governor Muhammad Nehal Hashmi, addressing at the occasion, said that Railways is not only the major and cheaper source of travel for common man but it also connects the entire Pakistan and culture, languages and hearts of people belonging to different regions of the country.
The governor appreciated the initiative of rehabilitation of Pakistan Railways’ schools saying that he will visit the school again to monitor the progress. The children enrolled in the school are going to be the face of Pakistan, he said and urged the school administration to take forward the mission with national spirit and impart exemplary education to the students who were destined to be future leaders of the country.
Earlier, the Federal Minister for Railway Hanif Abbasi, along with Governor Sindh, Chairman Railways and other executives of Pakistan Railways and The International School unveiled the plaque to mark the commencement of the operations of the school.
He also visited the school and inspected different sections of the school and the ongoing educational process.
