TALK about disjointed development. Pakistan is now producing high-speed train coaches for its low-speed tracks.

According to a recent news report, the Islamabad Carriage Factory, which locally produces locomotives and coaches, is set to deliver its first batch of advanced, ‘new generation’ passenger coaches in about three months. These coaches, which can go as fast as 200km per hour and are equipped with some state-of-the-art features, have been developed with the help of our Chinese brethren, who themselves boast some of the most advanced railway technology in the world.

But, impressive as the achievement is, it will do little to make travel more convenient for Pakistan Railways passengers because our rail network simply does not support trains going as fast as that.

For a rough idea of how much of a disappointment this is, take the current travel times between two of Pakistan’s busiest railway stations, Karachi Cantonment and Lahore Junction. A train trip from one to the other, which spans roughly 1,200km, usually takes anywhere from 18 to 24 hours, depending on the service that day. If Pakistan Railways also had tracks and locomotives that were compatible with the new coaches, that travel time could theoretically be cut at least in half, making it so much more convenient for routine travellers and also enhancing the appeal of train trips as a relatively safer, convenient and far more affordable option for all manner of travellers.

Unfortunately, the development of railway capacity to facilitate ordinary travellers does not seem to have been a priority for Pakistan. One cannot help but envy China in this regard. The Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway covers more distance than the Karachi to Lahore track but takes as little as 4.5 hours to traverse.

If only our politicians could get over their obsession with shiny motorway projects that carry their nameplates, perhaps ordinary travellers too could hope for such cheap, convenient and quick train journeys.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2025