Army of PR officers set to visit China for buying bogies

Department is procuring 230 carriages for $149m

LAHORE:

At a time when Pakistan Railways (PR) continues to face a deficit of more than Rs45 billion, 93 officers and employees of the department will visit China in different groups from August 9 to inspect 230 bogies worth $149 million being imported from the friendly neighbouring country.

The officials, who also include those retiring next year, will be given a daily travel allowance of $100 per day. Chief Mechanical Engineer Carriages Abdul Haseeb said the officers visiting China would provide consultancy in the design of the passenger bogies.

He added that special attention would be given to aspects of travel comfort for the passengers in the design of the bogies. Haseeb further said training would also be given to staff for the maintenance of the Chinese bogies.

The engineer said technology from China would also be transferred to Pakistan.

According to details available with The Express Tribune, the officers set to visit China for 10 days include AGM Shahid Aziz, DS Workshop Rahat Mirza, DG Planning Abdul Malik, Loco Factory Risalpur MD Aqeel Yusuf, Mughalpura Workshop Project Director Iftikhar Hussain, Mughalpura Workshop Project Director Muhammad Yusuf Laghari, Chief Mechanical Engineer Abdul Haseeb, Deputy Chief Mechanical Engineer Muhammad Farooq, Deputy Chief Operating Officer Headquarters Hamdan Nazir, Deputy Chief Mechanical Engineer Nawaz Farooq and Deputy Chief Mechanical Engineer Design Zulfiqar Sheikh.

Similarly, Director Operation Imtiaz Hussain Farooqui, Deputy Director M&S Fahad Masood, DME Multan Muhammad Fasahatullah Baig, Mughalpura Workshop Works Manager Muhammad Ishaq Abbasi, Divisional Mechanical Engineer Karachi Sarmad Ibrahim, EFO Workshop Muhammad Amir are also included in the group.

The first group that will visit China for 22 days includes team leader Deputy Chief Mechanical Engineer Risalpur Muhammad Ghufran Khan, Works Manager Mughalpura Muhammad Ismail, Assistant Mechanical Engineer Hamid Asad and Faqir Gul, FO Production Irshad Ahmed Aman, Muhammad Ali Johar, Irfanullah, Bahrkaram, Marjan Ali, Zafar Hayat and Khadim Shah.

Besides, Head Draftsman Riaz Mohammad, Senior Draftsman Muhibur Rahman, Mohammad Shahid, Anwar Ali, Mohammad Asim Mistry, Khushi Mohammad, Mohammad Jafar and Senior Chargeman Irfanullah are also included in the group.

The second group visiting China for 22 days includes Deputy PEA MS Mughalpura Muhammad Khalid Khan, Works Manager Hyderabad Rajesh Kumar, Proceeds Officer Muhammad Saqlain, HTXR Mughalpura Azhar Hussain, Muhammad Amjad and Naeem Khan, FO Muhammad Riaz, SE Noorullah, Chargeman Abdul Rehman, Sajid Ali Mistry, Muhammad Fayaz, Abdul Manan, Sultan Mehmood, Syed Rehan Arif, Iftikhar Ahmad, Wasim Anjum, Syed Ameer Shah Shahid Hussain and Shabbir.

The third group that will visit China for 22 days includes Deputy DS Karachi Abdul Waqas, Divisional Mechanical Engineer Lahore Obaid Pal, Divisional Mechanical Engineer Kundian Ikram Zaidi, Assistant Mechanical Engineer Sultan Ahmed Soomro, HTXR Rawalpindi Azhar Haque, TXR Rehan Ahmed, Hafiz Muhammad Javed, Amanullah, Abdul Basit, Shabir Qamar, Tanveer Ahmed Khan, Shabir Hussain, Khawaja Taimur, Muhammad Ikram, Waseem Ibn Abbas, Muhammad6 Abbas, Akhtar Mehdi, STXR Khanewal Allah Dutta Mistry, Paris Khan, Shiraz Khan, Mohammad Irfan and Jamaat Ali.

A list of nine alternate officers has also been prepared.