RAWALPINDI, Aug 13: Federal railways minister Lt-Gen Javed Ashraf Qazi (retired) on Tuesday morning inaugurated the new Chinese-made Karakoram Express.

President Gen Pervez Musharraf had to inaugurate the train but he caught flu, therefore the railways minister took part in the ceremony in his absence.

The train will run on Lahore-Karachi route on alternate days.

Mr Qazi, speaking on the occasion, criticized the media furore over the issue and the controversies that had preceded the train’s launching.

He said the train’s design was not faulty, however, the platforms at some railway stations were not of international standard and had to be “trimmed” according to the specifications of the new coaches.

The minister said seeking adjustments in the design of the new train coaches, built according to international standards, could have been costly, requiring an additional amount of $5 million.

Pakistan Railways had to trim the concrete platforms at several railway stations to facilitate the passage of the 14 carriages imported from China for the Karakoram Express.

Chinese vice minister for railways Peng Kaizhou, speaking on the occasion, said the train was an independence-day gift for Pakistan and a symbol of friendship between the two countries.

The 15 airconditioned coaches have cost Rs32.5 million a piece. Another 25 similar coaches will arrive next year, while as many as 135 coaches are to be manufactured at the Islamabad carriage factory.

The total project of $200 million is being financed by the Exim Bank of China, which will meet 87.5 per cent of the total financial requirements on supplier credit basis, while the Pakistan government is to provide for the rest.

Karakoram Express will be seen off by Punjab governor Lt-Gen Khalid Maqbool (retired) at Lahore, when it embarks on its journey, carrying passengers for the first time, at 5pm