KARACHI: Atif Ikram Sheikh, President FPCCI, has demanded that Pakistan railways should offer reliable, cost-effective and expanded cargo services to the business, industry and trade community of Pakistan from Karachi to up country; as Karachi is country’s industrial and trade hub.
It has been a longstanding demand aimed at capitalizing on the railway’s differential advantages over conventional trucks, he added.
Atif Ikram Sheikh explained that rail-based cargo transportation is not only cost-effective; but, also has enormously high carrying capacity – making it the mode of choice for most of the developed countries where they have to cover long stretches of land in inter-city, inter-state or province and even intra-city destinations.
It is pertinent to note that the business community has held a detailed, consultative meeting with Abdul Rasheed Solangi, Secretary Industries & Commerce (I&C), Government of Sindh, over the goods transportation issues. Aman Paracha, VP FPCCI, represented FPCCI’s President.
Atif Ikram Sheikh stressed that the roads infrastructure from industrial areas to ports should be revamped as industries in Karachi suffer on a daily basis. Additionally, vendors supplying to major markets from industrial areas also face broken roads; therefore, the transportation network in and around industrial areas needs immediate attention.
Aman Paracha maintained that Karachi demands a proper, world-class road infrastructure to transport goods to rest of the country as Northern Bypass is a single-track highway; which subsequently connects to M–9 and rest of the country. We need to have multiple options that remain operational 24/7 to cater to the needs of the consumers in the length and breadth of the country or, alternatively, Northern Bypass should be expanded at the earliest.
Aman Paracha said that the government only allows 6 hours of cargo transportation in Karachi; and we need to have a 3–4 lane Northern Bypass to enable the goods to swiftly reach M–9 through Northern Bypass within those 6 hours.
Abdul Rasheed Solangi called upon the business community to install weight stations for the effective implementation of the axle load regime at the points of origin at all industrial zones. Industrialists updated the secretary I&C that weighing stations have already been installed and they are cooperating with the authorities. Nonetheless, now it is government’s turn to facilitate the good transportation.
Aman Paracha stressed that the lingering issues of trade & industry vis-à-vis Karachi’s transportation and communications infrastructure should be addressed on priority; and, be brought at par with at least regional and sub-regional competitors.
The city contributes upwards of 60 percent of country’s total revenues and federal & provincial governments must pool their resources to protect the struggling economic activities of the metropolis.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024