RAWALPINDI, Jan 4: President General Pervez Musharraf on Thursday appreciated Federal Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed’s initiative for improving the railway network and offered his fullest support in this regard.

The President was talking to Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed who called on him in Rawalpindi on Thursday. During the meeting Mr Rashid briefed the President about the steps being taken for improving the railways services.

The minister also briefed the president about the steps to streamline the timing of departure and arrival of various express, passenger and cargo trains across the country.

The President said Pakistan would be linked to Iran, Afghanistan, China and Central Asian Republics (CARs) by rail.

General Musharraf referring to a proposal for dualisation of Lahore-Rawalpindi track, said a feasibility study should be conducted. President called for having a standard gauge track instead of meter and broad gauge track in Pakistan railway‘s network in order to make it more safer and faster.

The President said in the past, roads were the focus of all attention but railway‘s potential was never tapped. As a result, road traffic snarls have become order of the day.

He said railway mass transit system in big cities was a dire need of the hour so that traffic jams were cured and traffic load on the roads was reduced.

The minister expressed his profound gratitude to the President for paying his due attention to the development of the Pakistan Railways.

The President was informed that two million commuters on Pakistan railways had been increased in the last six months and added that he was confident that within one year, there would be five million commuters of Pakistan Railways.

Mr Sheikh also informed the President about new trains including a shuttle train between Peshawar and Rawalpindi and its fare is Rs70 and a train between Karachi and Rawalpindi with Rs600 fare only.