Railway Minister Mian Shamim Haider has said that dryports will be established in all big cities of the country, as their importance in economy was of paramount importance.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of installation of a scanner at Mughalpura dryport here on Saturday, Shamim said by end of the year, not only scanners will be installed at other dryports of the country, but the income of Pakistan Railways will reach break-even level.
He said because of better policies of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz economic activities are increasing in the country therefore, there is a need to establish dryport on modern lines with a view to achieving desired results.
He also said the distribution of oil through pipeline from Karachi has temporarily decreased the freight revenue of Pakistan Railways and it will be overcome by June 2006.
Later, talking to newsmen, the minister said that Pakistan Railways commenced relief operations in three phases for the earthquake victims, which are still continuing, and added that the department has issued as many as 3,000 passes for travel of quake victims. In second phase, Railways run 11 freight trains to take relief goods to the quake-hit areas and also provided additional coaches to shift the injured to other cities.
In third phase, Shamim said the PR has set up 13 medical camps for the affected persons. About future of Pakistan Railways he said it was very bright.