Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid has said that prime minister will inaugurate Thal Express on May 12. The first VIP train will go from Lahore to Karachi on May 30. While talking to reporters on Saturday at Railways headquarters, Sheikh Rashid said Shahbaz Sharif is not acceptable to him as a Chairman Public Accounts Committee PAC). "I have met prime minister twice in the last week and conveyed him my sentiments regarding PAC chairmanship. No one can stop me to become the member of PAC," he added.

Railways earned two billion rupees during the last six month under the head of passenger train, he maintained. All non-stop trains got 90 percent occupancy, he claimed. The minister said that 20 freight trains will be operational at the end of this year. "My team is working day and night to achieve this target. After achieving this target, Pakistan railways will be financially stable and strong," he claimed. Former railways minister invested billion of rupees on renovation of Narowal, Karachi and Lahore stations but could not earn even millions, he added.

Railways wanted to run train from Kartarpur to Nankana, he wished, adding that there is 73 percent decrease in travelling without tickets.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019