KARACHI: Federal Minister for Railways Mohammad Azam Khan Swati on Thursday directed that Pakistan Railways (PR) freight wagons in need of necessary repair work and currently gathering dust and rust in the yards must be repaired at the earliest.

In a meeting with the top management of PR and Karachi division’s officers, the minister said he wanted maximum rolling stock to be utilised. “Though PR had climaxed to the highest freight revenue earning of Rs2.221 billion and loaded an unprecedented number of 21,766 wagons during last month, these figures are below the potential of this department and lag behind my target,” he remarked.

While highlighting the untapped potential of PR, he said that a comprehensive business plan if pursued efficiently along with greater stock utlisation can turn tables for the department. “I want to create the best image of PR and end all misperceptions regarding the department,” he said.

In a subsequent meeting with the representatives of freight parties, the minister called the freight train service a lifeline of PR and expressed his vision of running the freight trains as per international practices.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2021