LAHORE, March 13: The Afghan government has been requested to award the Chaman-Kandahar rail link contract to the Pakistan Railways, said Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali.

He was speaking to railway officers during his visit to the Pakistan Railways headquarters here on Saturday. The premier said his government was taking keen interest in the communication project linking Gwadar to the Central Asian States.

He suggested the PR authorities to also consider Gwadar-Kalat-Naushki route for bringing the new sea port on to the railway network.

According to him, it would be the most feasible and shortest route for linking Gwadar with Iran and Afghanistan.

Acknowledging the importance of railways as a cheap and safe mode of transportation, he said the government would extend Rs13 billion on an average each year to accomplish the institution's seven and 10-year development projects.

The Railways had sought Rs16 billion from the federal government to improve its services and complete its ongoing projects.

For the current fiscal year, the government has committed Rs12 billion, but only two-thirds of the amount was extended to the national institution.

Mr Jamali promised to extend Rs700 million during the current fiscal year for completing the Khanewal-Lodhran track dualization project.

Railways Minister Ghaus Bakhsh Mahar, Chairman Khurshid Ahmad Khan, Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool and Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi were also present on the occasion.

The prime minister announced that Gen Pervez Musharraf's policy on railways would be continued as it had started giving positive results.

Regarding the kutcha abadis on Railways land, he said a joint strategy would be evolved to resolve the issue.