ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi has announced completing three new railway links including Chhor-Tharparkar, Pakistan-Tajikistan and Gwadar-Karachi connecting different parts of the country to facilitate passengers and goods trains to facilitate the business community.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Abbasi said that traders have expressed great interest in transporting their goods from one corner of the country to another via rail but unfortunately right now Pakistan Railways is not in a position to facilitate them on this account; however, the completion of above mentioned rail links will not only facilitate the business community but also benefit the passengers, as well as, promote tourism.
He said that goods transport through rail as compared with other means of transportation is far cheaper; therefore, the business community wanted to transport their goods from one end to another end of the country by rail. He said that goods trains as compared with passenger trains will generate more revenues.
He also announced completing ML-1 rail project by any mean, saying that it was the need of the country, adding that if any friendly country assisted PR in constructing ML-1 it will be great; otherwise, PR itself will complete the Karachi-Peshawar rail project. He said that the government will utilise all efforts to improve the rail services.
Condemning terror act against Jaffar Express, the minister said that the entire nation was united against the menace of terrorism and stood behind the armed forces, adding that now the enemies of Pakistan will be given a befitting response. He said that foreign elements were involved in the heinous act of terrorism, adding that entire world has condemned the so-called Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
He said that Pakistani security forces eliminated all the terrorists involved in hijacking the train including nine suicide bombers. He said that BLA will be treated as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists are being treated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that terrorists will not be provided with any chance to escape; they will even be followed in Afghanistan.
The minister said that to connect with the Central Asian Republics (CARs), Pakistan was also seriously considering the construction of a Pakistan-Afghanistan railway track which will extend to Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan and can go all the way up to Uzbekistan. He said the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan rail link is very much possible and for which, a memorandum of understanding has already been signed.
Pakistan Railways has already awarded the contract of constructing 105 kilometres long Tharparkar Railway line project to connect Thar Coal mines and Port Qasim with PR network through new rail links and is aligned with the sectoral objectives by providing bulk transportation facilities according to the requirement of the growing economy. The project is likely to be completed by October 2025.
He said that the project costs will be covered by both the Sindh and federal governments. The project comprises construction of 105-kilometrre-long track including 24.58-kilometre loop-line new single line railway track infrastructure from Thar Coal mines to new Chhor Station and; construction of 18-kilometer long new double line track (9-kilometre on each side), includes 4.20-kilometre long loop-lines, from Bin Qasim railway station to Port Qasim.
The proposed railway network will have the capacity to transport 10 million tons of coal annually, shifting Pakistan’s power generation from imported to domestic coal, and reducing the reliance on costly fuel imports. This project could save the national exchequer approximately $1.5 billion annually by cutting fuel import costs. The Thar coal railway connectivity project is part of the government’s strategy to convert coal-based power plants from imported to Thar coal, a cheaper and indigenous alternative.
The construction of seven railway stations along the railway route with 14 platforms are in the scope of the work of the project, and of seven stations, two major stations would be established at Thar coal mines and New Chhor station, respectively; and five intermediate stations would be established between two major stations.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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