ISLAMABAD: In response to a recent Supreme Court directive, the Ministry of Railways on Wednesday established a five-member committee to draft a business strategy for Pakistan Railways.
At a meeting presided over by Railways Minister Saad Rafique, it was decided that the committee would be led by Railway Board Secretary Arshad Salam Khattak and comprise Director General of Property and Lands Hafeezullah, CFO Hamid Mehmood, Railcop CEO Syed Najm Saeed, and Chief Account Officer Syed Shozab Raza Naqvi.
The Green Line train’s operation will also return by the end of January, it was determined during the meeting.
It is relevant to mention that Pakistan Railways was instructed by the top court to increase its effectiveness rather than propose cosmetic notions.
The chief justice noted that despite owning billions of dollars worth of assets, the performance of the department had not improved.
According to a railway sector assessment for Pakistan conducted by the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC), the current issues are likely to worsen
It also revealed that the importance of railways in Pakistan would continue to decline in the absence of a significant financial infusion to invest in replacing the majority of the existing railway.
Besides, the meeting also noted that the north-south railway route, ML1, is slated to get a significant financial boost through loans from China as part of the CPEC projects.
