PESHAWAR: Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry senior vice president Ziaul Haq Sarhadi has demanded of the government to start export cargo train between Peshawar and Karachi.

Mr Sarhad, who is also vice president of All Pakistan Customs Agents Association, said in a statement that good freight was profitable head for Pakistan Railways.

Earlier cargo services like 0012 down, 002 down and others that were operated from Peshawar were a big source of income for Pakistan Railways, he added.

Mr Sarhadi said that the service should be re-launched as soon as possible.

He said that the province had huge potential to export gems, marble, handicrafts, honey, furniture, matches, herbal products and other items.

He said that local exporters were transporting their goods to Karachi though private carriers as Pakistan Railways was not operating export cargo trains.

Mr Sarhadi said that lack of facilities had rendered Peshawar Dry Port useless. He said that before 2008, nearly 11 passenger trains used to be operated from Peshawar that included Rail Car, Thal Express, Awami Express, Tezro, Lahore Passenger Train, Abasin, Chinab, Khushal and Quetta Express.

He said that currently only Jaffar Express, Awam Express, Khushal Khan and Khyber Mail Express were running from Peshawar. He appreciated the efforts of Federal Minister for Railways Saad Rafiq and said that the minister was taking practical steps for development of Pakistan Railways.

Mr Sarhadi urged the minister to launch export cargo train, goods-in-transit to Afghanistan train and good train service for turning Pakistan Railways into a profitable entity and promotion of export from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He alleged that some black sheep in Pakistan Railways hatched conspiracy to flop cargo and passenger train services from Peshawar. He demanded of the railways minister to take stern action against such black sheep.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2017