70th Independence Day: Azadi Train kicks off countrywide journey

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways’ Azadi Train began its 14-day long journey on Saturday from Margalla Station on the eve of 70th Independence Day of Pakistan, ARY News reported.

State Minister Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb saw off the Azadi Train at Islamabad’s Margalla Station.

The Azadi Train comprises of five spectacular art galleries, depicting the sacrifices rendered by people in the independence movement. It portrays the culture of the four provinces – Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. A float depicting the scarifies of armed forces and their role in natural calamities in the country catches visitors’ fancy. It also exhibits weaponry made by Pakistan Ordinance Factories.

According to the schedule released by the Ministry of Railways, the train will reach Peshawar Cantonment at 4:30pm. On August 13 it will depart the cantonment at 10:30 in the morning for Rawalpindi and will reach there at 7:15 in the evening. It will leave Rawalpindi on Aug 15 at 9:15 in the morning and will touch Lahore at 10:00 in the night.

After stopover in Lahore for two days, the Azadi Train will leave for Multan and arrive there at 11:30 in the night. It will reach Sukkur at 8:00 in the night on August 19. On August 20 , it will proceed from Sukkur for Sibbi and will arrive there at 8 in the evening. Afterwards, it will arrive at Quetta at 7:00 in the morning. On August 23 it will depart Quetta at 7:00 am and will arrive at Sukkur at 7:30 in the evening. It’s journey will culminate at Karachi Cantonment on August 25 after making stopovers at Nawabshah, and Hyderabad.