PM inaugurates Thal Express, train tracking system

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday inaugurated long-awaited Thal Express and tracking system in trains, ARY News reported.

Pakistan Railway had suspended the train service in 2008 due to financial losses and the shortage of locomotives.

The fast train would reduce at least three hours travel time between Multan and Rawalpindi. The Thal Express would run between Rawalpindi and Multan via Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Bhakkar, Kundian and Mianwali.

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating rail tracking system and Thal Express train at a ceremony at the PM House, Imran Khan said, “We want cooperation from China in every sector under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.”

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He was of the view that commuting by trains was least expensive everywhere in the world. “And we are also taking measures to making life easy for the poor.”

Khan said under Railways Main Line-1 (ML1) project, people would be able to travel from Peshawar to Karachi in eight hours.

The life of a common man should be easy in Naya Pakistan, he stated.

Khan also admitted that the country was undergoing difficult situation, but asserted that “its future is bright”. He said his government would continue waging a crusade against corruption.

Khan stated that gas companies were at the brink of closure had the government not raised gas prices.

“We’ve witnessed wastage of money [at government level], hence we first need to curtail our own expenses,” he underlined.

The prime minister said even the banks refused to grant loans to gas sector. “Annual gas theft of around Rs 50 billion has been detected, which is alarming,” informed Khan.

He said he had curtailed expenses of the Prime Minister House by 30 percent. An auditor has also been employed at the PM House tasked with suggesting measures to further reduce expenditure, he added.

In the last 10 years, people had no fear of law. “NRO 1 and NRO 2 had eradicated fears of being caught for corruption”, said the PM.

Talking about increase in Hajj expenses, PM Khan said his government would have offered free Hajj facility had there been no huge pending loans.