Pakistan Railways’ earns Rs 2bn in last four months: Shaikh Rasheed

LAHORE: Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Saturday said that his ministry fulfilled the promise of adding 10 new trains in Pakistan Railways’ fleet within the first 100 days of government.

Highlighting the 100-day performance of PR in Lahore, the railways’ minister said that his ministry has achieved its first 100 days objective and will now focus on repairing deteriorated tracks and out of order bogies.

“Pakistan Railways has earned Rs2 billion in the last four months,” Sheikh Rashid claimed, adding that ‘unnecessary’ expenses of the department have been curtailed.

He said the recent reforms in the department have not only helped improve the standards of PR, but have also put it back on the right track.

On the regulatory reforms in the sector, the minister said that employees of the department are strictly instructed to follow all the rules.

“Helping the passengers to travel without tickets in Pakistan Railway will lead to immediate termination of the employee involved in such practice,” the minister warned. “In order to boost tourism activities, the department is running three tourist trains.”

Last month, Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed had reiterated that his ministry would fulfill the 100-day agenda ahead of the deadline.

Addressing a press conference, the minister had said that PR will launch a new tracking system in the locomotives to monitor the usage of fuel.

He had said they are going to introduce pre-paid electricity meters to be installed at residences of 77,000 employees of the railways to reduce the department’s expenditure.