Produce in Pakistan

Pakistan Railways seems to be on a buying spree for rolling stock, but opting for import as an easier route. It is floating international tenders for the purchase of 230 passenger coaches and 820 freight wagons. Most of the passenger coaches will be manufactured abroad while a few may be assembled in Pakistan. The freight wagons are planned to be imported.

Pakistan Railways already has a full-fledged carriage factory in Islamabad that can manufacture coaches and wagons. It was producing these until two decades back but has since remained idle. The coaches and wagons being imported can be manufactured at this factory. All it needs is a little investment in upgrading existing plant/machinery and personnel skills to meet the higher standard. The cost of local manufacturing is estimated to be less than half the price of imported ones. The railways ministry should take a cue from India which is self-producing all its rolling stock. We need experts and not politicians to manage the Railways. The prime minister is requested to order the Railways for full manufacture of coaches and wagons at the Islamabad Carriage factory.

Arshad M Khawaja

Karachi