Amir Saeed

Pakistan desperately needs to have a modern railway infrastructure to ensure fast passenger and goods movement to support its economy. A well-developed transportation sector, particularly railways, plays a very important role in the economic progress of a country. A robust railway infrastructure can help reduce the costs fourfold compared to road transport, providing an affordable means of transport to people. Speaking to WealthPK, Muhammad Javed Anwar, former federal secretary of Pakistan Railways, said that Pakistan had a poor railway infrastructure. “The current railways date back to the British era and are in need of urgent overhaul. The obsolete tracks often cause fateful accidents, shaking people’s confidence in using railway services to move across.” He said Pakistan Railways had not been able to play a crucial role in the country’s economic development over the past decades due to poor infrastructure, inadequate human capital, and financial losses. Anwar called for an early rehabilitation of the railways’ infrastructure battered by the floods, especially in Balochistan province.

He said Pakistan Railways had long been a loss-making entity due to a lack of a modern railway network. “Efficient and cost-effective goods trade could only be made possible by putting in place a modern railway infrastructure.” Speaking to WealthPK, Hameed Akhtar, Chief of the National Transport Research Centre, said Pakistan Railways had been suffering operational losses over the years. He stressed the urgent need for upgrading the railway tracks, and replacing the existing slow-moving locomotives with high-speed trains. “Pakistan should benefit from the experience of China as the latter has one of the best railway transportation systems in the world,” he said, adding the upgradation process of railways would also create employment opportunities. During the July-March period of fiscal year 2022-23, passenger and freight traffic was recorded at 22.5 million and 47.27 million kilometres, respectively, as compared to the corresponding period of FY22.

In the same period, the gross earnings stood at Rs39.9 billion compared to the earnings of Rs43.7 billion over the same period in FY22, posting a decrease of 8.64% year-on-year. Talking to WealthPK, Mohammad Naseer, Director General of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, said that Pakistan could enhance regional trade by replacing the outdated trains with modern high-speed trains and overhauling the railway network. “High-speed trains and enhanced infrastructure will achieve sustainable economic growth.” He said railways were the most cost-effective and environment-friendly means of transportation for passengers and goods. “A train uses nine times less energy per 1,000km than a truck, and is four times more fuel efficient. Trains are much cheaper and quicker than trucks on longer routes.” Naseer said improving the railways’ infrastructure would help foster regional integration and increase economic activities.

Credit: INP-WealthPk