PM Imran launches Lahore-Karachi non-stop train

LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday launched the Lahore-Karachi non-stop luxurious train, Jinnah Express. The non-stop train will cover the distance in 15 hours.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony at the Lahore Railway Station, he said rail tracks are required to reduce pressure on roads. He said: "Across the world, a common man uses train and this actually shows the priority of the countries". The premier said China is a leading country in terms of train technology and its help would be sought in this regard. Imran said he was going to China next month and he would seek Chinese cooperation in up-gradation of Main Line-I from Karachi to Peshawar and railway technology. He regretted that operationalisation of the railway track in Pakistan has only reduced by 2000 kilometres since the British era in the sub continent.

Referring to the basic facility of health, the prime minister said the government has started Insaf Health Card scheme from the poor of the poor which will be extended to other people. He said every salaried person should have health insurance card to have free medical facility. He said everybody should get health insurance in the country and the government is starting health insurance from the lower level. He said health cards would support medical treatment up to Rs720,000. The PM said: "We have to uplift the deprived segments of society.” The premier, while responding to the Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid’s request for health cards for railway labourers, he said, unfortunately, prime ministers considered themselves kings in the past. "Being a responsible prime minister of a democratic government, I will not make any announcement before discussing it with the federal finance minister," the PM added.

­The premier said that Main-Line 1 project would bring about a revolution in the railways besides facilitating the people, adding he would direct the Ministry of Petroleum to use trains for freight.

The railways minister said Lahore Railway Station had been renovated at a cost of 25 million rupees. He announced launching Sir Syed train in a month, saying a train would play the upgraded ML-I at a speed of 160-220 km per hour reducing the Lahore-Rawalpindi travel distance to about two-and-a-half hours. Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, Advisor to PM on Political Affairs Naeemul Haq and Provincial Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal were also present.