Railways to lay new Karachi-Peshawar track for fast trains: Sheikh Rasheed

ISLAMABAD: Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Wednesday said a new track of over 1700 kilometers will soon be laid between Karachi and Peshawar to run trains at a speed of up to 160 kilometers per hour.

Talking to media after inaugurating operation theatre at Railways Hospital Rawalpindi, Sheikh Rasheed said it would shed the travel time between Rawalpindi and Karachi to just eight hours. He said if the curve between Jehlum and Gujar Khan was addressed then the train would reach Lahore from Rawalpindi in less than three hours.

The railways minister said WiFi services would be provided at all railway stations across the country besides installing trackers on engines. He said all trains would be overhauled for better services.

He said Rehman Baba Express will be launched on 23rd of this month between Peshawar and Karachi and its fare will be 1,350 rupees.

Read More: Ticket fares of railways increased by 19-16 percent

The minister expressed the resolve to enhance railways profit to 10 billion rupees in just one year. Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said the government was initiating projects for welfare of Railways employees.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had designated him as focal person of Nullah Lai Expressway and he would do his best to serve the residents of Rawalpindi. He said the work on the project was likely to begin early next year.

Meanwhile, addressing the 11th South Asia Economic Summit in Islamabad today, the minister for railways said development of rail was of vital importance for development of national economy.

“Pakistan is a peace loving country and desirous of peace in the entire region as well,” he said.

Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said Pakistan also invite and welcomed India to join the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.