FAISALABAD – Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad on Tuesday said 20 moreVIP passenger trains wouldalso start soon.A tendering process was being initiated to upgrade 1,680km long track ofML-2 and ML-4 in addition todualization of the Faisalabad-Lahore and Sialkot tracks, he added.Addressing the business community at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce andIndustry (FCCI) here, Sheikh Rashidsaid that previous rulers had pushed the economy at the verge of collapse.He added that:”We all are aware ofthe fact that a strong economy is imperative fordefence and independent foreign policy”.He said the present government had put the country in the right directionbut it had to take bold anddifficult decisions.The minister said the FCCI was the first platform that had realised theimportance of economic stability andappreciated the decisions taken by Prime Minister Imran Khan and FinanceMinister Asad Umar.Sheikh Rashid said that former rulers spent 2 billion dollars to launchonly 27km long orange line train. It was a luxurious spending as with thisamount he could lay new track throughout Pakistan.Regarding the financial affairs of the Railway, he said that Rs 35 billionwere required to pay pensions, Rs 31 billionfor salaries, Rs18 billion for oil and Rs 25 billion to pay the loaninstallments.”We have to repair the old and abandoned bogies tostart 20 new trains. Now we are planning to launch yet another 20 new VIPand high-speed passenger trains,” he added.He said that Pakistan Railway could start high speed trains with a speed of160km per hour after the completionof ML-1. The speed of these trains could be enhanced up to260km per hour in later phase. He added that the travel betweenLahore-Karachi would be possible only within6-7 hours.The minister said all over the world, passenger trainswere not run for income generation but freight trains weremeant for earning profit. He added that” Pakistan is theonly country where we are earning a handsome profit of Rs 2 billion fromthe passenger trains”.He said Mohenjo-Daro Train was running successfullywith the occupancy of 160 per cent. Similarly, the occupancyof Rehman Baba Train was 150 per cent.He said that a new VIP ‘Jinnah Train’ would be launchedbetween Lahore and Karachi from March 23. “We are alsoplanning to start ‘Sir Syed Train’ which could be runbetween Faisalabad and Karachi,” he added.He also assured of starting more trains from Faisalabadand said that local investors could start these trains bypaying advance fare of 10 days only.The minister said the private sector could also runtrains by paying a reasonable rent for the track to PakistanRailways. He added that recently two private trains hadbeen started from Lahore and such trains could also belaunched from Faisalabad on the same terms and conditions.He assured of resolving problems being confronted by theFaisalabad Dry Port (FDP).Responding to another question, he said the PakistanRailways was planning to start online booking system toredress alleged misappropriation in the booking ofpassenger trains.Earlier, paying best tributes to the Kashmiri people,he said that they were fighting for their fundamentalright to self-determination for the last 70 years.

He added that Pakistani nation was with them and paidthem the best tributes for their struggle for anindependent homeland.Earlier, a one-minute silence was observed to pay tributesto Kashmir martyrs in connection with the Kashmir Solidarity Day.The meeting was also addressed by former ministerChaudhry Mushtaq Ali Cheema, Chairman FDP, while aquestion-answer session was also held.Meanwhile, the minister also visited railway stationand Faisalabad Dry Port.