July 25, 2006	Tuesday	Jumadi-ul-Sani 28, 1427

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LAHORE, July 24: Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said on Monday his government would continue cooperation with the Pakistan Railways.

The Punjab government spent a sum of Rs75,000,000 to improve the infrastructure outside the Lahore railway station and such a cooperation would continue, he said.

“We will also examine the possibilities to help the railways in its pursuit to better health and educational facilities for its employees,” he said in his brief remarks before inaugurating the Karachi-bound Sindh Express at platform No 1.

Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said the Central Development Working Party had approved the project to upgrade the PR signalling system.

Dualisation of track on the Khanewal-Raiwind section would be completed in a year.

Minister of State for Railways Ali Asjad Malhi was optimistic the railways would be on breakeven next year. He requested the chief minister to extend his Parha Likha Punjab scheme also to railway schools.

Railways General Manager (Operations) Saleemur Rahman Akhoond said the Sindh Express had the capacity of carrying 722 passengers. During the 2004-05 fiscal year, some 71 million people opted to travel by rail and the number increased to 82 million during the 2005-06 fiscal.

All passengers of the Sindh Express would be given free dinner on its inaugural journey, he said.

FREIGHT TRAINS: The Pakistan Railways will run two freight trains from Karachi for two upcountry destinations according to timetable.

The container special will run between Karachi and Lahore dryport while the oil special between Karachi and Muzaffargarh from Tuesday on a daily basis and reach their destinations within 28 hours.

“We will soon achieve the target of running 14 freight trains from Karachi to various upcountry destinations,” Sheikh Rashid Ahmad told newsmen after inaugurating a utility store on the PR headquarters premises on Monday.

The Asian Development Bank would extend $300 million loan to run a bullet train between Lahore and Rawalpindi at a speed of 250 kilometres per hour.

A separate track of international standard would be laid for the bullet train with fencing on both sides. Tenders for the project would be called within the next four weeks or so, the minister said.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, he said, would soon inaugurate a container special train comprising Chinese coaches. “We have also sought guidance from President Musharraf for further improvements in the railways.”