LAHORE, July 10: An open tracks policy is being contemplated on the pattern of the open skies policy, says Minister of State Ishaq Khan Khakwani. Sources, however, say the plan to make the Pakistan Railways a corporation has been shelved. Instead, the railways’ infrastructure and facilities are being leased out to the private sector.

“We are not going to lease out the railways. In fact, we are planning to follow the Civil Aviation Authority’s pattern which allows the private sector to use its infrastructure and facilities on payment of charges and certain conditions,” the minister told Dawn.

“This will help provide better facilities to the people and make travelling by rail more affordable. The chief executive of a private airlines had expressed the desire to run his own 10 to 12 night coaches on the Lahore-Karachi section alone,” he said.

“This decision, too, had been taken in haste. The private sector has been invited to operate passenger and freight trains but there is still grey area,” sources said.

They said the railways’ routes, yards, washing lines, loco sheds and sick lines were being offered to the private sector on terms and conditions, which were yet to be formulated.

“There are a lot of grey areas like who will be responsible in case of derailment, breakdown of locomotive, calamity. What will be the fate of the staff on whose training millions of rupees have been spent?” the minister asked.

A pre-bid conference will be held on Aug 2 at the railways headquarters and those interested in attending it have been asked to convey their willingness to the director operations by June 27.

According to the minister, the move to involve the private sector in the operation of passenger and freight trains and work on making the railways a corporation would go side by side.

“Infrastructure should be the main responsibility of the government and the users should pay the operational charges of the utility.

“We have invited the private sector to submit proposals. The opinion of railways officers will also be given due weightage,” he said.

“Why don’t we invest in training of the staff and then set up goals for them? By training I mean training and not holiday trips in the name of training. “The problem in Pakistan is of the attitude. To be a contractor in Pakistan is a curse. Once one becomes a contractor, he finds himself in a trap — red-tape. The officers become hostile like a sautan (a co-wife),” Mr Khakwani said.