Federal Minister for Railways, Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour has expressed helplessness in bringing Pakistan Railways out of heavy deficit and attributed the heavy losses of railway to extra-burden in shape of factories and workshops. Replying to queries of journalists here in Meet the Press Programme of Peshawar Press Club (PPC), he said that the running of trains is no problem, but it is due to various factories that give no returns to the ministry.
He said that only one Mughalpura Railway Workshop in Lahore had more than 11000 workers. Furthermore, he said that Locomotive Factory at Risalpur and four sleepers' manufacturing factories in different cities of the country also require huge financial resources. The running of train service is the only source of earning for Pakistan Railways.
Railway, he said except India is all over the world in deficit. He said that during British era the service was covering a huge area that now comes under three independent states of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. He said that as the railway network of India is huge therefore, it is earning revenue for that country. He said that after the tragic incident of Liaquat Bagh, which claimed the life of Benazir Bhutto, the angry people torched 35 locomotives and 53 stations in different parts of the country. He said that Pakistan rolled out first locomotive in 1991, while India produces 110 each year and all are used in their own country.
The federal minister was however determined in streamlining the affairs of the ministry and minimising the deficit, which had climbed to Rs 3.1 billion annually. He recalled that when he had assumed the charge of the ministry in 1991 the deficit was Rs 1480 million. Railway, he said also owes Rs 20 billion to State Bank of Pakistan under the head of loans.
Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour also attributed the galloping deficit of Pakistan Railways to the non-development of railway network as compared to neighbouring India. He said that Pakistan had prioritised the promotion of road transport network more than railway. However, he said, the government was making efforts for arresting the growing deficit.
He said that during last 10 months, the fares of Pakistan Railways had been cut down by 25 per cent to attract passengers. "Presently the fare of railway, is less than road transport," said the minister adding that Pakistan Railways provide safest journey.
The big hurdle in attracting passengers to trains is the notoriety of delay. A bus, he said takes 2-hours to reach Rawalpindi while train requires 4 hours and that is due to the several stops on the way. The launching of non-stop train service, he said is the only available option to attract passengers to Pakistan Railways.
He said that talks with Japan were underway for under ground mass transit train service in Karachi. The completion of the project will take three years with a share of 60:40 expenses by the governments of Japan and Pakistan. Similarly, he disclosed that Pakistan Railways has also purchased land in Gawadar Port to link it with Peshawar and Karachi.
In response to a question, Haji Bilour, who is also central vice president of ANP said that till 1956, hydropower generation was provincial subject, which boosted industrial development in the province. However, the Constitution of 1956 deprived it of its rights over natural resource.
He said that their leader, Khan Abdul Wali Khan had refused to sign the constitution of 1973 for not guaranteeing rights of NWFP over power generation and natural gas to Balochistan provinces. But, they were still being denied the right and at last this right was recognised in shape of AGN Qazi formula.
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