ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has directed the Railways Ministry to expedite the process of converting railways into a corporation and to make it an efficient, viable and service- oriented corporation to provide excellent quality travelling facilities.

He was reviewing the goals and targets of the Ministry of Railways here at a meeting held at the Prime Minister's House. The prime minister directed the officials of the Ministry of Railways to prepare a real estate development plan to generate funds for replacement of rolling stock and other infrastructure.

He said railways all over the world, is the cheapest, safest and fastest means of communication, and asked the ministry to focus on containing the deficit, operational expenditure and improving the efficiency and service.

The prime minister said the railways is the critical backbone of infrastructure, therefore, it should be strengthened and efforts should be made to make it commercially viable. -APP