PR providing free of cost travel facility to senior citizens: Rasheed

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed has said senior citizens above age of 70 years are being provided with the free facility to travel, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Addressing the opening ceremony of Thal Express in the federal capital, the minister announced to add 20 more new trains in the fleet of Pakistan Railways in next three months and added that 365 acres of land has been acquired for Gwadar Railway Station.

Pakistan Railway had suspended the Thal 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.

Read more: PR to launch four new passenger trains soon: Sheikh Rasheed  

Lashing out at the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the minister said that the former government has taken kickbacks in the Railways department, adding that machines worth Rs one billion were bought which are useless.

“Rs400 to 500 million were spent on unnecessary stations such as Okara and Narowal,” said the federal minister.

Mr Rasheed vowed to increase profit of the PR upto rupees 10bn within a year.

Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan had inaugurated long-awaited Thal Express and tracking system in trains.

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.”