Pakistan Railways is resuming freight train service between Pakistan and Iran from today as the service remained suspended for four years due to law and order situation in the area. Announcing this at a press conference at Railway Headquarters here on Monday, Minister for Railways Kh Saad Rafique said that one train will shuttle between Quetta and Iranian city Zahidan once in a week. The number of train will be increased with the passage of time.
He said the train with 24 carriages leaving Quetta for Zahidan will carry rice and other commodities of daily use to Iran while Pakistan will import sulphur, tar coal and chemicals by this train. He said the freight train will bring 2000 litre diesel on cheap rate from Iran during each journey. The number of carriages attached with this goods train would be increased to 40 gradually.
Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique further said that Pakistan Railways was ready to start the proposed international freight train service between Islamabad, and Istanbul, However the Turkish government is, currently, engaged in the maintenance of the track between Ankara and Istanbul. Once they completed the work, the service will start," the minister added. The PR had also started up gradation of track between Quetta and Zahidan. Khawja Saad also informed that Pakistan has requested China to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor route from Peshawar to Torkham.
He said the railways had already achieved the revenue target of Rs 28 billion and would earn nearly Rs 3 billion more than the target. The minister also promised to add further facilities in the fast Green Line Train running between Islamabad and Karachi and decrease fare for short-distance passengers on the said train from June 20. To a question, he said the law and order situation to be improved on Quetta-Zahidan route. Khawaja Saad thanked Railways secretary Perveen Agha, PR adviser Anjum Pervez, PR Chief Marketing Manager Zubair Shafi Ghauri and DS Quetta for their great input in resuming of the service. Pakistan will export rice and other goods and bring sulphur, charcoal and other chemicals from Iran.