KOHAT: The officials of Pakistan Railways have said that the railcar service between Kohat and Rawalpindi is likely to resume between Dec 15 and 20. The service was suspended in 2013.

The repair of track and renovation of the British-era railway station constructed in 1903 in Kohat had cost over Rs200 million in one and a half years, station master Moin Gul told this scribe on phone on Saturday.

The service between Kohat and Thall was cut off permanently in 1991, but that of Kohat-Rawalpindi remained intact till 2013.

The service was abandoned in 2013 on pretext of faulty track

Mr Gul said that the people, especially the business community, would catch up the train for Multan and Faisalabad at Jand, 40 kilometers from Kohat on way to Rawalpindi and could come back the next day along with their consignments.

It would also benefit the people of Bilitang and Babri Banda in Kohat which were the markets of mazari, a shrub used in making cot strings, baskets for keeping bread, etc. The shrub and its string are also transported to Punjab.

The railcar service was abandoned in May 2013 on the pretext of faulty track though goods train continued its service twice a week without any reported accident.

Mr Gul said that the railcar service would likely start between Dec 15 and 20. Earlier dates were being changed since January 2017 even after directives by then prime minister Nawaz Sharif during his visit to launch it by June 30.

A statement issued here said that the divisional transport officer Anwar Saadat and chief controller Sarhad Bacha of Peshawar division paid a visit to the Kohat railway station following a trial run of the railcar two months ago from Rawalpindi which reached Kohat safely.

The number of bogies has been increased from four to seven which could accommodate over 600 passengers at a time. Divisional superintendent Hanif Gul would pay a visit to the railway station tomorrow (Monday) to give a green signal to the service.

KILLED: A man was gunned down and two others were injured on Saturday by a rival group from Sumari Payan area, one of whose members was killed at Kutcheri Chowk here on Friday.

The victim was identified as Inzamam, a local organiser of ANP, and the injured included Tahirullah and Mehreen. The old enmity has so far claimed 13 lives from both sides.

Lachi police have registered a case against the assailants allegedly belonging to Yar Mohammad group.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2017