Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi announced on Monday that work on the 480km long Rohri-Karachi track will start in September with an estimated cost of $2 billion.

The minister was addressing a ceremony held in Karachi to mark the initial commencement of The International School Pakistan Railways Campus Karachi aimed at delivering world class education within a framework of national partnership and common growth.

Governor Sindh Nehal Hashmi, Secretary Railways Mazahar Ali Shah, GM Hafeezullah, DG Rubina Nasir, CEO TIS Taymur Mirza and others attended the ceremony.

Elaborating the measures for improvement of the Rohri-Karachi section of main double line, the minister said that it is the most difficult track built in the 1860s. The prime minister has decided that the 480km long Rohri-Karachi track will be rejuvenated with an estimated cost of $2 billion and foundation stone of the work is expected to be laid in September this year.

The minister elaborated various measures for improvement of railway stations, platforms and other facilities and informed that the process of complete digitization of Pakistan Railways was underway and it will be completed within a period of one month.

Abbasi said that Pakistan Railways and Punjab Government had inked an agreement to modernize and expand rail services across the province. The project included the development of fast and regional routes in the province and introduction of modern and state-of-the-art trains while the Punjab government will provide advanced Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) locomotives.

While referring to the escalated situation in the Middle East and the diplomatic role of Pakistan in defusing the tension, the minister said Pakistan had become the center of the attention of the entire world.

We not only averted a conflict between two brotherly countries – Saudi Arabia and Iran – but also prevented the beginning of the Third World War through successful diplomacy and mediation efforts that the world will remember forever, he noted and attributed the achievement to martyrs and personnel of Pakistan’s valiant armed forces.

Abbasi said Pakistan is going to start development of a railway track connecting Central Asia and Europe via Iran soon. The work on the 900km long Rohri-Naukundi section has already been initiated on the directives of the premier and tendering process for laying off new railway track on the 87km Naukundi-Taftan section has been started.

Responding to a query, he maintained that a project to connect Thar Coal with railway line was under way and the track from Islamkot to Chhor is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Sindh Governor Muhammad Nehal Hashmi, addressing at the occasion, said that Railways is not only the major and cheaper source of travel for common man but it also connects the entire Pakistan and culture, languages and hearts of people belonging to different regions of the country.

With input from APP