The Pakistan Railways has announced plans to restore passenger two more passenger trains. The trains Bolan Mail and Akbar Bugti Express, linking Quetta with Karachi and Lahore respectively will be restored. “On the directives of caretaker government and PR authorities, all is set to restore the two trains” Divisional Superintendent Quetta Muhammad Yousuf Leghari said on Thursday. The Bolan Mail will resume its operations on 25th December 2023, while Akbar Bugti Express will be restored in March, 2024. The two trains will facilitate the people of Sindh and Punjab to travel to Balochistan and vice versa. Currently, the Jaffer Express is the only operational passenger train in Balochistan being run between Quetta and Peshawar, besides local Chaman & Hurnai trains. The DS Railway noted that the Bolan Mail would consist of 12 coaches with the facility of a dining car and bedding.

The passengers would also be provided clean blankets, pillows and standard food, he added. It may be recalled that, in October last, the Pakistan Railways restored train services at Sibi-Harnai section which was suspended 18 years ago after the miscreants destroyed main bridges and railway tracks in the year 2006. Caretaker Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan Domki and Caretaker Minister for Railways, Communications and Maritime Affairs Shahid Ashraf Tarar had inaugurated the train service at a ceremony held at the Sibi Railway Station. The Pakistan Railways carried out reconstruction of railway bridges and laying new  tracks following the demand of the local people of Harnai and Sibi.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)