Appreciating the new Business Express Train, he said that recently closed Tezgam Express would also be privatized soon and then the PR would focus on the outsourcing of the goods trains. - File Photo

LAHOREL Federal Minister for Railways Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour said on Thursday that the situation of Pakistan railways and trains would be improved within six months.

He was talking to the media at PR headquarters after the agreement signing ceremony held between Pakistan Railways and the Four Brothers International Private Limited for the new Business Express Train.

Bilour said that the tender for 150 locomotives had been finalized and even down payment for 75 locomotives had been transferred.

He said that six companies including National Logistic Cell (NLC) had offered the Railways for repairing the old locomotives. He said that Finance Ministry had pledged to arrange Rs 60 billion from the commercial banks for repairing old locomotives.

Interest would be paid by the Finance Ministry while the Railways would only pay back the actual amount, he added.

Appreciating the new project of new Business Express Train, he said that recently closed Tezgam Express would also be privatized soon and then the PR would focus on the outsourcing of the goods trains.

He said that Lahore Karachi Business Express Train would complete its journey within 18 hours and it would stop at Khanewal and Rohri Railway stations for technical reasons.

To a question, he said the PR had not yet received the amount of bailout package, adding that the repairing work of 102 locomotives would be started as soon as the amount of the package was received and the spare parts would be imported by air cargo instead of sea or land sources.

Senator Zafar Chaudhary, Saeed Akhtar, PR General Manager (Operations) and other senior officers of the PR were also present.