LAHORE – Pakistan Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has announced to operate a new state of the art superior fast train between Islamabad and Karachi from May of the current year.
Talking to journalist after inaugurating ten new modern power vans at Lahore Railway Station on Tuesday, he said that name, timings and composition of the new train would soon be finalised. He said that the PR was gradually and continuously progressing and induction of new power vans in the system was another step to progress with the efforts of PR workers and administration.
“Only 27 power vans were working when I took charge but now the number of the vans were 74 which will become 84 after March 31 with the induction of more 10 new power vans,” he added. The minister said operation of the power vans was part of the preparation of the upcoming summer season and now the passengers would not be bothered during the hot weather due to non-working of air-conditioners, lights and fans in the trains.
Expressing about the development in the freight operation, he said more than 80 locomotives were operational for freight sector, adding that not more than 7 to 8 locomotives had been working for freight when the Pakistan Muslim League-N government took over the charge. The minister said deduction of five percent was being made from the salaries of each employee for several years on name of development but it was first time the PR had allocated Rs 300 million in the Public Sector Development Programme for the construction of residences of the PR employees.
He said the PR administration had marked land for the construction of residential flats and apartments for the employees as the department could not afford big bungalows for staff while construction would soon be started. He said it was just beginning of colouring of the map and soon more developments would be made for the betterment of the department and its employees.
To a question about the PR police, he said that a summary of Rs one billion for several projects of the up-gradation of the PR police had been sent to the prime minister office for approval from which an amount of Rs 400 million had been sanctioned for equipments and training of the police. The minister stated the PR administration was working for raise in the salaries of the police staff and soon it would be made equal to the salaries of the provincial police.
He said that posts of 20 inspectors and 49 assistant sub-inspectors were being introduced which would be filled through the public service commission so that educated officers could be inducted in the PR police. He added that these officers would be posted in the sensitive police stations.
To another question about Youhanna Abad incident, he appreciated Muslim religious scholars and Christian leaders for their role after the incident and said that the incident was a failed effort to create distance between the followers of both religions. PR Police DIG headquarters Sharaq Jamal and DIG Operations Jawad Ahmad Dogar were also present.
