Latest news with #PakistanRailways
Arab News
an hour ago
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan Railways offers major discount in train fares on Eid Al-Adha
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways has announced a major discount in train fares during three days of Eid Al-Adha besides running five special trains ahead of the festival, Pakistani state media reported on Monday, citing the railways minister. Eid Al-Adha is one of the two most important festivals of the Islamic calendar. Muslims mark the festival by slaughtering animals such as sheep and goats, and sharing their meat among family, friends and the poor. The Pakistani government has announced a four-day holiday on Eid Al-Adha from June 6 till June 9, and hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis will be traveling to their hometowns to celebrate the occasion among their loved ones. 'Pakistan Railways will… offer a 20 percent discount on fares during the three days of Eid-ul-Azha,' the Pakistan Television (PTV) reported on Monday, citing Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi. The announcement came hours after the first Eid special train left the southern port city of Karachi for Lahore on Monday. The second train will leave Quetta for Peshawar at 10am today, Tuesday, while the third will leave from Lahore to Karachi via Multan at 5pm. The fourth train will depart from Karachi to Rawalpindi at 8pm on Tuesday, while the last special train will leave Karachi for Lahore at 8pm on June 4. Abbasi shared that the department's revenue had reached Rs83 billion ($294 million) due to improved operations over the last four months, according to the broadcaster. He said a new passenger train will operate between Punjab's Lahore and Narowal district, starting June 15.
Express Tribune
7 hours ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
First Eid train departs from Karachi
Passengers board an Eid special train with their luggage at Karachi Cantt Station. PHOTO: JALAL QURESHI/EXPRESS With Eidul Azha around the corner, Pakistan Railways flagged off its first special train from Karachi Cantt Station to Lahore on Monday, sending hundreds of homebound passengers on their way with smiles and suitcases in tow. The emotional pull of reuniting with loved ones lit up weary faces as passengers boarded amid a flurry of activity. According to railway officials, the first special train comprises one business class coach, one AC standard coach, eight economy class coaches, and one power van, accommodating around 700 passengers. The train will make scheduled stops at nine major stations during its journey: Hyderabad, Rohri, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, Multan, Sahiwal, Okara and Kot Lakhpat. Passengers, expressing delight, said the journey offered them a long-awaited opportunity to visit their native towns and meet relatives, describing it as a "blessing after a long time". The divisional superintendent (DS) of Pakistan Railways Karachi Division, Mehmood-ur-Rehman Lakho, visited the platform to inspect the travel arrangements aboard the special train. He said more special trains will be dispatched in the coming days to facilitate as many travellers as possible during the Eid holidays. Meanwhile, the federal government has announced a major Eid relief, setting a special discount on train fares for the three days of Eidul Azha. Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, speaking to the media, confirmed that Pakistan Railways will operate five special Eid trains to accommodate the holiday rush. He also reiterated the government's commitment to upholding all agreements made with the media. Abbasi said Pakistan Railways had achieved notable progress in its 77-year history, particularly over the last eleven months. "Railways has performed exceptionally well during this period," he added. The minister highlighted ongoing efforts to generate revenue from leased railway properties and said that Royal Palm is being outsourced in line with the prime minister's vision. "The bidding process will be transparent, and all bids will be opened publicly," he said.
Express Tribune
13 hours ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Pakistan Railways announces fares discount for Eidul Azha
Listen to article The federal government has announced a significant discount on train fares for the three days of Eidul Azha, as part of its efforts to facilitate travel during the festive season, Express News reported. Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi confirmed the development in a media briefing on Monday, stating that five special trains would be operated for Eidul Azha. "The special trains will be operational for the duration of the holiday to ease transportation for people travelling to their hometowns for the occasion," he said. He also assured that agreements made with the media would be fully honoured. Highlighting the achievements of the Pakistan Railways, Abbasi mentioned that the department had achieved significant milestones in its 77-year history, particularly over the past 11 months. "The performance of Pakistan Railways has been outstanding," he added. Furthermore, Abbasi revealed that Pakistan Railways was generating revenue through its leased properties. "In line with the Prime Minister's vision, Royal Palm will be outsourced, with transparency in the bidding process, and bids will be opened in full public view," the minister stated. Abbasi also announced a Rs1 billion budget allocation for the eight railway hospitals. He stated that efforts were underway to outsource these hospitals, but promised that medical services for railway employees would remain free of charge.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Reconstruction work stalls over land dispute
For a city as big as Karachi, a citywide transit network is crucial for addressing the transportation needs of the low-income masses and reducing the atmospheric pollution plaguing the industrial hub. Yet progress on public transport projects like the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) has remained minimal due to persistent land disagreements between state bodies. According to information received by The Express Tribune, in 2021, on the directions of the Supreme Court, Pakistan Railways had started development work on underpasses and flyovers at various places in the city to eliminate the KCR gates. "The revival of the Karachi Circular Railway was planned to be done in two phases. The first phase, costing Rs20 billion, involved the elimination of 24 railway crossings while the second project concerned the revival of the Circular Railway, including the construction of double tracks, reconstruction of stations and purchase of light rail. This phase was estimated to cost Rs200 billion under a public-private partnership. The entire project was to be completed in two years," said an official from Pakistan Railways, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The official further revealed that in 2022, caretaker Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had approved the request of Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, directing Pakistan Railways to immediately hand over all the assets and land of the Karachi Circular Railway to the Sindh government. However, senior officials of Pakistan Railways were skeptical on the grounds that the construction, repair and operation of the railway system was a highly technical task requiring ample experience, which the Sindh government lacked. Since the federal government rejected the concerns of Pakistan Railways, development work on the railway crossings of the KCR was halted three years ago. According to the concerned officer, underpasses, flyovers and elevated rail tracks were to be constructed at seven locations along the 44 kilometre loop of the Karachi Circular Railway. Work on two underpasses at Gulshan-e-Iqbal 13D had started three years ago, 70 per cent of which had been completed. In addition, a railway overhead bridge at Hussainabad, a 3.5 kilometre elevated track from Musa Colony to Manghopir and a 6.5 kilometre elevated rail track from Gulbai Phatak to West Wharf were also under construction. Moreover, an underpass was to be constructed on University Road and a flyover at Ahmed Shah Bukhari, Machar Colony. Unfortunately, none of this could be completed. Dr Syed Nawaz Al-Huda, a regional planner, was of the opinion that had the Karachi Circular Railway project been completed in time, the people of Karachi would not have been victims of so many road accidents today. "In principle, this project should remain with Pakistan Railways because the Sindh government has no experience in railway construction and operations. It has been 36 years since the closure of the KCR, but this project is still plagued by the red tape," highlighted Dr Al-Huda, who implored the government to complete this project on a priority basis. Addressing the criticism, Managing Director of the Sindh Mass Transit Authority (SMTA) Kamal Hakim Daio told The Express Tribune that the Sindh government had not yet taken over the Karachi Circular Railway project. "Pakistan Railways has not yet handed over the land and assets of the Circular Railway to the Sindh government since it is seeking land or compensation in exchange. The Sindh government is still in the process of negotiating for the land for the KCR project, which will cost 2 billion US dollars," said Daio. On the other hand, a spokesperson for Pakistan Railways assured that progress was being made on land-related matters in connection with the KCR project. "Details of the land of KCR have been shared by Pakistan Railways with the SMTA while discussions are also underway with the Board of Revenue, Sindh Management and Budgetary Reforms (SMBR) and the provincial government. No final decision has been made yet," claimed the official.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Railways privatisation hits low-income commuters
In a latest development, Pakistan Railways has initiated the process of outsourcing 11 more trains, which will now operate under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Critics, however, have argued that the move overtly aimed at improving railway services might actually be a ticket to exclusion for the low-income passengers relying heavily on cheap modes of inter-city transportation. While railway officials claim that outsourcing will improve the quality of services, civil society representatives have expressed deep concerns over the move, which may lead to increased fares, creating difficulties for the underprivileged masses. It is worth noting that railway travel in Pakistan is still considered a popular mode of cheap transportation for the poor and middle-class groups. According to estimates, around 100,000 people travel daily by trains, mostly on major railway routes between Karachi and various cities in Punjab. A passenger, Muhabbat Ali, who frequently travelled from Larkana to Karachi on the Mohenjo-Daro Express, revealed that although various bus operators were operating on this route, he preferred traveling by train due to the reasonable fare and comparatively comfortable journey. Malik Tanveer Awan, a Karachi-based employee, revealed that he frequently travelled to Punjab by train. "While a slight fare increase may not affect salaried individuals, even a minor fare hike could seriously impact labourers who travel from Punjab to Karachi for work. Pakistan Railways should reserve some economy coaches on PPP trains with no fare hike, ensuring affordability for low-income passengers," requested Awan. According to sources of The Express Tribune, Pakistan Railways currently operates a total of 47 trains, of which 11 have already been outsourced, while 11 more are being offered for public-private operation. According to Pakistan Railways administration, the trains being outsourced include Bolan Mail (Karachi to Quetta), Hazara Express (Karachi to Havelian), Khushhal Khan Khattak Express (Karachi to Peshawar), Bahawal Din Zakariya Express (Karachi to Multan), Shalimar Express (Karachi to Lahore), Musa Pak Express (Dera Ghazi Khan to Lahore), Thal Express (Multan to Rawalpindi), Mehran Express (Karachi to Mirpurkhas), Mohenjo Daro Passenger (Kotri to Rohri) and Rawalpindi Express (Havelian to Rawalpindi). According to Zahid Farooq, an urban planning expert at the Urban Resource Centre (URC), trains are still a preferred mode of transportation for the labour class therefore, any increase in fares will disproportionately affect this segment. "Pakistan Railways' decision to hand over more trains to private operators will gradually reduce government control over railways. As a result, the government will not be able to provide relief to the public in the future by running special trains on holidays or reducing fares on special occasions. Therefore, handing over trains to private operators is not the correct way of improving the railways' services," said Farooq, while suggesting that the government may increase its railway revenue by reviving cargo services. Hamid Qureshi, Divisional Commercial Officer (DCO) of Pakistan Railways in Karachi, told The Express Tribune that under the PPP model, fare increases of more than 10 per cent were not permitted. "Therefore, only a minor fare increase may be expected, but in return, passenger services will be improved. PPP trains are equipped with water dispensers and Wi-Fi; amenities not commonly available in regular trains," claimed Qureshi.
