PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Railways has started a new train service from Peshawar to Quetta in order to facilitate the people of all the four provinces, Fata, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.

The Jaffar Express started its first journey from the cantonment railways station here on Saturday morning. Divisional superintendent Mohammad Hanif Gul was the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony.

Sharing information about the new train service, he said the federal government had approved this service in order to facilitate the passengers of all the provinces, especially those living in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Fata and Balochistan.

Hanif Gul said the people would be able to travel in an improved quality train at affordable prices. He said the operation of new train was meant to bring people of all the provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir closer through an excellent and improved communication infrastructure and railways network.

On the occasion, other railways officials said the 10-boggy Jaffar Express had a status of the symbol of nationalism and unity, which would connect people of Pakistan by passing through Quetta, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Rohri, Multan, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar.

It was learnt that in the past the Jaffar Express ran between Rawalpindi and Quetta. But, now it will daily leave Peshawar at 5.30am and would reach Quetta at about 2pm the next day after passing through various important cities and towns.

About the fare, an official said Rs1,870 would be charged from each passenger intending to travel in economy class, Rs4,470 for standard class and Rs4,970 for business class. It would be purely a passenger train service, and that 800 passengers could travel in it at a time, said the official, adding food would also be available at reasonable rates.

The officials said credit went to the federal government for improving communication services for people of KP. They hoped that the train would help generate significant revenue for Pakistan Railways.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2017