Azadi Train continues its southward journey

Models and floats depicting history and geography of Pakistan attract people

RAWALPINDI: Floats of Mazar-i-Quaid and Ziarat Residency on special Azadi Train attracted large crowds at Rawalpindi Railway Station on Monday.

Quaid-i-Azad Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s historic pictures and cultural heritage displayed in galleries also attracted all and sundry.

A senior citizen Khalid said that the Azadi Train had been beautifully decorated and especially the historical pictures of Quaid were very precious asset.



Tufail Ahmed another visitor taking selfie with Quaid’s Residency replica said that it had been very beautifully prepared. He lauded the Pakistan Railway for arranging Azadi Train, adding that people loved to know the history of our beloved country.

Other visitors also highly appreciated the cultural floats depicting the culture of all four provinces including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

A large number of school students also visited Azadi Train and took keen interest in the cultural floats and historical galleries. A teacher, Gul Meena said that it was really great day for her students to visit such a beautiful Azadi Train.

She said her students really were very happy to visit Azadi Train.

The train has three different parts, consisting of six cultural floats, five galleries and six operational vehicles.

It had chugged into Rawalpindi station on Sunday night.

Long journey

Azadi train had begun its countrywide journey here from Margalla Station, to highlight country’s rich culture and historic struggle in the Pakistan Movement.      Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb inaugurated the Azadi Train. Railways Chairperson Parveen Agha appreciated the efforts of the Carriage Factory staff.

Agha said that more than 100 labourers had worked to finalise the models based on cultural heritage of Pakistan.

She said, the train consist of five galleries and six floats highlighting Pakistan Movement with objective to educate people about the ideology and struggle of Pakistan under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.



ISPR, NLC and ministry of information have facilitated Pakistan Railways in the preparation of their respective galleries.

A troupe of folk artist and puppeteers is accompanying the train for the entertainment of general public.

The train will head out of Rawalpindi Station on Tuesday (today) at 9:15 in the morning and will reach Lahore at 10 in the night. It will stop in Multan, Khanpur, Sukkur.

Frome Sukkur the Azadi Train will enter Balochistan and stop at Sibbi. From there it will reach Quetta and on August 23 head back to Sukkur.

The Azadi Train will then make stops at Nawabshah, Tando Adam, Hyderabad, Kotri and finally the journey wills top at Cantt Station Karachi.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th, 2017.