In this regard, Pakistan Railways authorities had given a briefing to minister for railways about the update of the project, official sources in the Ministry of Railways told APP on Monday.

Pakistan Railways will play its role to bring the people of FATA into the mainstream through rail line which will also bring progress and prosperity in the area, the sources added.

To a question, they said Pakistan Railways was devising a strategy for an alternative route of Chaman-Spin Boldak to approach Afghanistan and Central Asia via Torkham by focusing on trade volume after the success of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

They said some more countries, besides Chinese and Asian Development Bank, wanted joint ventures with the Pakistan Railways due to the incumbent government's policies.

The sources said about initial design and survey that work on ML-1 (Karachi-Peshawar) was in progress which would be completed by the end of December.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2016