New Karachi-Peshawar train will run at 160 km per hour: Shiekh Rashid

RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister for Railway Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Wednesday   a new train would be started from Karachi to Peshawar that will cover the distance of 1760 kilometers in 8 hours at the speed of 160 km per hour.

Talking to the media, he said the Railway has set a target of profit margin of RS 10 billion for financial year 2018-19. 

Rasheed vowed “the task given to me by Prime Minister Imran Khan as focal person of the Expressway Project will be completed soon".

Sheikh linked the benefits of the construction of China Pakistan Economic Corridor with the development of railway department.

The minister said that CPEC project is the backbone of the economy and revolutionary changes would be carried out in the rehabilitation of railway with the support of China.

Criticizing the previous governments spending of gigantic sum on the construction of roads, he said there was need to improve the condition of tracks which is in dilapidated condition.

Rasheed informed that there are 2000 railway crossings without gates and with  limited resources it has become difficult for railway to construct it.

Rashid said that number of freight trains would be increased as it will increase the profit of Railway.

He announced that new train would be added to Green Line service while work is in progress for starting two new trains from Quetta to Karachi.

He said that the previous rulers destroyed the economy of the country, adding 2019 would be year of Imran Khan success.

The minister renewed his pledge that corruption in railway would not be tolerated at any level.