GUJRAT: Businessmen consider the historical Wazirabad railway station the most suitable point for launching a cargo train for Karachi.

The railway junction, they say, has a huge cargo terminal which has been in a shambles for long but which can be renovated within a short time. The railways authorities have yet to decide on the matter.

The Wazirabad station is within 15 to 30 kilometres from the neighbouring industrial towns of Sialkot, Gujrat, Gujranwala and Wazirabad known as the golden triangle. This railway junction also has a unique facility of two routes to run the cargo train up to Karachi -- Lahore route and Faisalabad route.

“The idea to launch a cargo train on a commercial basis was floated by Sialkot’s businessmen,” said Qaiser Baryar, president of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI). According to the plan, he said, the cargo train had to start from Sambrial where dry port and international airport were also available. However, he said, senior railways officials after an inspection visit to the Sambrial railway station claimed that huge financial resources might be required for the rehabilitation of the track and then it was proposed that the Wazirabad railway station which was around 20 kilometres away from Sambrial dry port could be the most appropriate site for being a central place in the golden triangle.

Baryar said the SCCI as well as the businessmen of Gujrat and Wazirabad had accepted the proposal. Later, the Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) floated the idea of launching the train from Gujranwala city and the representatives of business community from the rest of the region had yet to give assent to the proposal, he said.

Ex-MPA Ijaz Samman, the owns two flour mills in Wazirabad, said the railway junction was established here due to its unique geographical location when the British rulers laid the railway line in the subcontinent as trains could be diverted to different routes from here to reach Karachi. He said a vast cargo terminal could be used after renovation.

The exporters of Gujart’s electric fans are also in favour of launching the cargo train from Wazirabad instead of Gujranwala. Wazirabad is known for its cutlery and stainless utensils, Sialkot for manufacturing sports and surgical goods, leather garments and sportswear and Gujranwala is home to best engineering goods, home appliances, plastic furniture and other sectors.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2021