Secretary Railways Sami-ul-Haq Khilji Thursday said Pakistan Railways is passing through financial crisis and the Ministry is focussing on freight trains to stave off the financial crunch. Talking to mediapersons after visiting Rawalpindi Railway Station, the Secretary/Chairman Railways said income generated through freight trains would be utilised on passenger trains for further improvement.
"We are adopting three-pronged strategy; 'organisational, operational and financial' to improve the overall performance of Pakistan Railways," he said. Khilji said the services of professional and qualified persons for marketing would be hired to help run the department professionally and make it economically viable.
He said the trains would be run on public private partnership. Under this scheme, track would be owned by Pakistan railways and trains by the private sector. The chairman said the rolling stock companies which import coaches and locomotives would also responsible for its maintenance. He said Pakistan Railways would improve the condition of its existing coaches and locomotives and increase the number.
Khilji assured to pay pending TA/DA and salaries to the Pakistan Railways employees within one or two days as well as next salary before the Eid. Regarding special train on Eid, the Secretary instructed Pakistan Railways Divisional Officers to strictly monitor the facilities during last ten days of the Ramazan and treat the railway stations as their offices. General Manager Operations Saeed Akhtar, Member Finance Jahangir Aziz, Divisional Superintendent Jalal-ud-Din and other senior official of the department were also present on the occasion.