ML-I’s PC-I sent to Planning Commission: Sheikh Rashid

Railways minister says $9.32b project envisages laying 1,800km track across Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Thursday said the PC-I for Mainline-1 (ML-I) has been prepared and submitted to the Planning Commission for its onward processing.

"It is a defining moment for Pakistan as PC-I of $9.32 billion has been sent to the Planning Commission for laying 1,800 kilometres track across the country after a 14-year delay," he said in a video message released.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had been informed about the initiative, adding that the PM had issued directions to expedite the process for the early materialisation of the project which would eventually boost the country's economy.

Rashid said he had apprised the prime minister that people from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa would start leaving their homes on October 30-31 to reach Raiwind, Lahore on November 1 for the annual religious congregation (Tableeghi Ijtema).

He said the prime minister was informed that coinciding with Raiwind Ijtema and the Jamiat Ulema-e Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) march's dates would create a fuss.

The minister said the PM had informed him that the government's reconciliation committee was going to hold a meeting with the opposition's Rahbar Committee on Friday.

The final decision to allow the JUI-F to hold the so-called 'Azadi March' in Parade Ground, Islamabad would be taken after the meeting, he added.

He said the PM directed Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar Khan for providing the best possible healthcare facilities to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz central leader.

Rashid said the leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was not mulling any deal with Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif.

About Zardari, he said the PPP leader had 'Dutch courage' to oust himself from prison but as far as the matter of Nawaz Sharif was concerned, he added that the PML-N leader had always created problems for himself.

Commenting on Maulana Fazl’s long march towards Islamabad, the minister said that the JUI-F chief was creating a new dilemma for the country.

“PM Imran is not afraid of any long march,” he said, adding that the decision to stop the Azadi march was not yet finalised.

To a question regarding the medical treatment of Nawaz, the federal minister said directives had been issued to the concerned for taking special care of the PML-N leader.

(With additional input from APP)