The Secretary of Railways has revealed that 67% of Pakistan Railways' tracks have exceeded their operational lifespan. The revelation was made during a Senate committee meeting on railways chaired by Senator Jam Sadiq Khan on Friday. The Secretary also disclosed that the design of the Main Line 1 (ML-1) project was altered due to the impact of recent floods. The revised PC-1 now estimates the project’s total cost at approximately $6 billion, down from the initial $9 billion, despite the significant design changes. Senator Kamil Ali Agha questioned the unchanged cost despite the redesign, expressing concerns about compromising the project. He also raised alarms about the risks associated with the loans from China. The Secretary assured that there has been no compromise on ML-1’s security and management, and emphasized the project's financial viability. In a related development, the committee was informed that the investigation into corruption involving 10 mysterious employees in Karachi has been inexplicably halted, leaving committee members surprised and concerned.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan