MIRPURKHAS, Jan 28: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has said that the Thar Express will start operation on February 15 from Karachi. He said that he was trying to ensure that the train must stop at Mirpurkhas and Khokhropar railway stations.

He was addressing a gathering at the zero point in Khokhropar on Saturday.

The governor inspected on-going development works of the Khokhropar-Munabao railway section.

Sindh Assembly Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah, home minister Rauf Ahmed Siddiqui, health minister Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani, advisor to the Sindh chief minister for finance, M.A. Jalil, information adviser Salahuddin Haider, Sindh chief secretary Fazalur Rehman, Pakistan Rangers director-general Maj-Gen Javed Zia, PPO Jehangir Mirza and Umerkot district nazim Faqeer Manghan Mangrio were present on the occasion.

The governor said that under dynamic leadership of President General Pervez Musharraf the government would take more historical decisions as problems were being solved for benefit of downtrodden people.

He said that 40 years old demand of people of Sindh for reopening of railway route between the Khokhropar-Munabao was being fulfilled by the government.

The governor said that he was making efforts to get approved stops of the train at Mirpurkhas and Khokhropar.

He said that reopening of railway route between the two countries would improve explore new avenues of job opportunities for local people while other areas of the region would be developed due to business activities.

He announced electricity schemes for 20 villages situated near Khokhropar, constructions of different link roads of 15 kilometers long, basic health unit for Khokhropar, water supply scheme and digital telephone exchange for Khokhropar and Rs1 million for tourism. He lauded services of all departments specially Pakistan Railways for conversion of the track on 135 kilometers area in short span of time.

He said that temporary offices of customs and immigration departments and platform for passenger were being constructed at the Zero Point.

He said that the government had sanctioned a metalled road scheme from Jaloo-Jo-Chaunro to the Zero Point at an estimated cost of Rs423 million which would be completed in two years.

He stated that work on the scheme would be started next month.

Railways Project-Director Ghulam Rasool Memon briefed the governor and the director-general Pakistan Rangers about on-going and remaining work of project and security arrangements.