Webinar stresses need to make Railways a profitable entity

LAHORE: Public-private partnership stressed to make Railways profitable entity in a webinar organised jointly by Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) and NGO Reenergia on ‘Vision for Pakistan Railways’ on Monday. Speakers emphasised the need of adopting public-private partnership model and mobilising the corporate sector to transform Pakistan Railways into an enterprise which would contribute to the economy of the country.

Secretary Railways Habib ur Rehman Gilani, CEO/Senior General Manager Railways Nisar Ahmed Memon, Vice Chairman PIDE Dr Nadeem ul Haque, Dr Afia of the Reenergia were among the speakers while CEO Reenergia Dr Amir Zafar Durrani moderated the webinar.

Secretary PR Habib ur Rehman Gilani said the webinar is part of the series of the research dialogues to find ways to deal with the issues faced by the Pakistan Railways and help it restore its lost status of a profitable organisation of the early 1960s when it catered for the 70 percent of the freight business of the country.

He also hinted hiring of professionals from the corporate sector, exploiting railway land commercially and offering PR assets for branding to raise revenue. He said some 70 million commuters use railways annually and there were plans to exploit its resources to the make it a profitable institution.