Slow derailment: Minister outlines woes of Pakistan Railways
Pakistan Railways (PR) is currently running its entire operation with 137 locomotives, says Bilour.
ISLAMABAD:
Minister for Railways Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour on Friday informed the National Assembly that Pakistan Railways (PR) is currently running its entire operation with 137 locomotives, while a tender for the purchase of another 150 locomotives has been floated to help get the organisation on the right track.
Replying to various questions, he stated that no new locomotive has been acquired during the tenure of the present government. Locomotives were last purchased during the Parvez Musharraf regime from China, out of which only 18 are currently in running condition, he said.
The government inked an agreement with China for the delivery of 175 locomotives, and a 15% down payment was also made in this regard, but no locomotive had been received so far, the minister complained. He further alleged that PR has not received a single penny from the Rs6.1 billion budgeted for it.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2012.
Minister for Railways Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour on Friday informed the National Assembly that Pakistan Railways (PR) is currently running its entire operation with 137 locomotives, while a tender for the purchase of another 150 locomotives has been floated to help get the organisation on the right track.
Replying to various questions, he stated that no new locomotive has been acquired during the tenure of the present government. Locomotives were last purchased during the Parvez Musharraf regime from China, out of which only 18 are currently in running condition, he said.
The government inked an agreement with China for the delivery of 175 locomotives, and a 15% down payment was also made in this regard, but no locomotive had been received so far, the minister complained. He further alleged that PR has not received a single penny from the Rs6.1 billion budgeted for it.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2012.