'Government intends to inter-link railway track to Afghanistan'

Federal Minister for Railways Ghaus Bakhsh Maher has disclosed that we intend to inter-link Afghanistan with Pakistan by rail to promote business, trade between two countries and we are negotiating with the Afghan government in this regard, and a feasibility report has already been submitted.
However, some foreign companies are being invited to invest in this mega project.
Talking to newsmen at Shujabad on Tuesday during the visit of un-construction double track between Sher-Shah & Lodhran.
The minister said, "We are also negotiating with Indian government to extend the Samjhota Express to Delhi from Attari to facilitate the visitors. Now they have to face manifold troubles/hardship in changing the train at Attari with goods, sometime they lost their belongings.
He said that Pakistan Railways has no plan to introduce more trains on any section because 22 out of total 237 trains are running in profit and 215 in loss. However our income had increased by Rs one billion during the last fiscal year and we have cut the non-developmental expenditure of Rs 2 billion but he is not satisfied with the performance of the railways as it requires more improvement to meet the challenges of 21st century.
The minister said that heavy investment is essential in railways to bring its standard at par with international railways. He said we have purchased 175 coaches from China but now we are building these coaches locally. Similarly two locomotives are also being manufactured.
He said that project of Lodhran-Khanewal via Multan double track would be completed next year.
Then we would extend it to Raiwind. After it railways would reduce the running time between Karachi and Lahore by two hours more and running time between Multan and Lahore would be reduced to four hours. Now all trains are taking 5 to 6 hours for 335-km distance.
Talking about railways police, he said, "We have purchased 235 metal detectors to check the suspected goods and growing incidents of dacoities and asked the federal government to allow to recruit 858 constables to meet the requirements.
The minister was accompanied by Asif Hayat, chairman Railways, Mushtaq Ahmed Jadoon AGM (BMU), Divisional Superintendent Multan, Ahsan Mehmood, and DCO Waqar Ahmed.