Railways seeks two years to implement plan to make it profitable: summary sent to Prime Minister

Railway Ministry has sought two years'' time from the government to fully implement the restructuring plan, making it a profitable institution, sources in the Railway Ministry told Business Recorder. They said that a summary has been sent to the Prim Minister on the restructuring plan of the Pakistan Railways, and PR General Manager would give a briefing very soon.
According to the restructuring plan, approved by the Cabinet Committee on Restructuring (CCoR) of Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs), Pakistan Railways will be split into four companies--Passenger, Freight, Manufacturing, and Asset Management. The process will start with administrative changes in the debt-stricken company, sources added.
They said that, in the summary, Pakistan Railways has requested that Chief Executive Officer of the Railway Board should have experience of 25 years in Railways. Railway Board would comprise Secretary Finance, Secretary Planning Commission, Secretary Railways and Chairmen Senate and National Assembly Standing Committees on Railways. Sources said that according to the plan all uneconomical passenger trains would be diverted to freight trains as soon as the rehabilitation process of the outdated trains is completed.
When contacted, Sameeul Haq Khilgi, Secretary, Pakistan Railways, confirmed that a summary on the restructuring plan had been sent to the Prime Minster. According to the plan, restructuring would be completed in two phases and it would take nearly two years for full implementation, he added. He said that in the first phase a Board of Directors would be constituted after which the rehabilitation process of the Railways would be started.