Peshawar-Jalalabad rail route

Pakistan Railways has completed a feasibility report of Chaman to Qandahar railway track and now it requested World Bank to assist in feasibility of Peshawar-Jalalabad route.
Director planning Ministry of Railways Aftab Akbar told this news agency that railways' top priority is rehabilitation, upgradation of infrastructure and lying of new tracks with an aim to make the area a hub of economic activities for regional countries.
He said that under the government's vision, Pakistan Railways has already completed dualisation of track from Karachi to Lodhran and work is under progress from Lodhran to Lahore.
He said that the government realising the importance of country's geo-strategic importance of regional countries including Afghanistan, China and Central Asian States, has directed Pakistan Railways to complete dualisation of track from Karachi to Lahore and from Lahore to Peshawar.
Similarly, he said that China is working on feasibility of Havelian to Khunjerab, adding feasibility report of 900-km track from Gawadar to Mastung has already been completed.
He said the government has also introduced ‘Open access policy’ under which private companies and chambers can run their own freight service by using infrastructure of Pakistan Railways.
Aftab Akbar said that under public-private partnership, the railways has embarked on construction of dry-ports in industrial cities to facilitate transport of raw material and finished goods.
Under the programme, dry ports will be constructed at Azakhel, adding that a dry port at provincial metropolis already exists.
Talking about the up-gradation of rolling stock, he said Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been singed with China for import of 202 coaches and 75 engines.
He said out of total 500 engines 300 are defective and there is dire need to upgrade the rolling stock.
Besides, Pakistan Railways has also launched open tender for purchase of 150 engines from other western countries.
To a question, he said Pakistan Railways is annually spending around Rs3 billion on pensioners and Rs4 billion of its police employees, which is a contributing factor to overall deficit of the organisation.