ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk has asked the bureaucracy of Pakistan Railways to work out a comprehensive plan to overcome the challenges facing the railway system.

During a briefing by senior officials on the performance of Pakistan Railways on Tuesday, the prime minister observed that the organisation was moving in the right direction for its revival and sustainability.

He said that with the addition of projects under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), there is a huge potential and scope for Pakistan Railways to improve its performance and increase its share both in passenger as well as freight transportation sector by offering quality services to its customers.

The premier was briefed about the organisational structure, rail network, past performance and the future development strategy under ‘National Vision 2025’ in the railways sector.

He was also briefed in detail about the new business plan and various initiatives taken for the revival of railways and increasing its revenues.

Mr Mulk was informed that the passenger share in railways had increased from 13 per cent in 2013 to 31pc in 2017. He was told that the Pakistan Railways had recorded revenue of Rs50 billion in 2017-18 as compared to revenue of Rs15.5bn in 2011-12.

The prime minister was also briefed about the progress made in various rail network extension projects under CPEC. The Main Line-1 (ML-1) project from Karachi to Havelian was being upgraded as ‘early harvest project’ while the feasibility study for up-gradation of ML-2 (Kotri-Attock) project had been completed.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2018