RAWALPINDI, March 8: Pakistan Railways on Thursday launched Sir Syed Express as its first fully air-conditioned passenger service between Rawalpindi and Karachi with special coaches for women.

The train service was formally inaugurated by Zareen Musharraf, the mother of President Gen Pervez Musharraf, accompanied by First Lady Sehba Musharraf at the Rawalpindi Railway Station. Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmad was also present.

Later, addressing a large gathering of women at the railway station, the minister said the train was launched in connection with the celebrations of International Women’s Day by resuming reserved coaches for ladies after 20 years.

He said 80 seats would be permanently reserved for women to facilitate their travel.

The train will operate two days a week passing through Lahore, Multan, Rohri and Hyderabad. It comprises of two sleepers, six lower special coaches and one parlour car.

Mr Ahmed said the City District Government Rawalpindi had initiated numerous development projects worth billions of rupees to improve the living standard of people.

He said to facilitate the train passengers, Regional Transport Authority had already started plying 10 buses from the railway station in Rawalpindi to Zero Point and Pak Secretariat in Islamabad.

The minister also mentioned the upcoming mass-transit train project from Flashman’s Hotel to Islamabad and vowed to provide maximum employment opportunities to women under this venture.

He said the rail track between Sohawa and Dina had been made ‘direct’. By cutting through the Tarakki hills, train would take only two and a half hours to reach Lahore from Rawalpindi.

Earlier, Viqarun Nisa Postgraduate College for Women Principal Rashida Shoaib, in her welcome speech, mentioned the government’s efforts for the emancipation of women and Sheikh Rashid’s struggle to make Rawalpindi a hub of educational institutes.—APP