Sheikh Rasheed announces 10pc cut in freight train fares

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Thursday announced a 10 per cent reduction in fares of freight trains.

Addressing a news conference, he said the fares of freight trains are being cut by 10 per cent from midnight tonight.

The minister reaffirmed his commitment to turn the Railways into a profitable institution by completely overcoming its deficit within three years. He said that Pakistan is the only country in the world where passenger trains are generating profit.

He said the Main Line One, which envisaged 1,872 kilometer long new track from Karachi to Lahore, will be a historic project in the 72-year history of the country. It will generate 1,00,000 job opportunities, he added.

Earlier on Nov 17, Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad had inaugurated steam Safari special train in Rawalpindi to promote Pakistan’s tourism.

Talking to media after inaugurating the new train, he had said it will help promote tourism in the country.

In the first phase, the Safari Train will operate from Rawalpindi to Golram. The objective of the train was to project the culture, civilization, heritage and worth seeing beautiful places of Pakistan before the world.