ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday introduced four new train services in a bid to provide better and safer transport facilities to commuters.

The train services were inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan at a ceremony. The new train services launched by the Pakistan Railways are Faisalabad Express, Shah Latif Express, Sindh Express and Rehman Baba Express.

The prime minister said the PR had been incurring yearly losses of Rs45 billion, but these were decreased to Rs37bn under the supervision of Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed.

Mr Khan asked the minister to act against and remove the political appointees who had “become a burden” on the department. “Railways could have become a highly profitable institution had people been appointed on merit,” he added.

The prime minister said the country was paying Rs6bn as interest on loans on a daily basis. “The government is drafting a policy to utilise the occupied state properties and turn them into revenue-generating ventures,” he added.

According to the PR, Faisalabad Express will run between Multan and Faisalabad and make stops at Khanewal, Abdul Hakim railway station, Shorkot Cantonment, Toba Tek Singh and Gojra.

Shah Latif Express will run between Dhabeji and Mirpurkhas and make stops at Jangshahi, Jhimpir, Kotri, Hyderabad, Tando Adam and Tando Allahyar.

Sindh Express will run between Karachi (cantonment station) and Sukkur, making stopovers at Drigh Road, Landhi, Hyderabad, Tando Adam, Shahdadpur, Nawabshah, Bandi Goth, Mehrabpur, Ranipur, Khairpur and Rohri. Rehman Baba Express, which will go into service on Dec 25, will run between Peshawar and Karachi.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018