RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister for railway, Ghulam Ahmad Bilour has said that he has demanded for Rs. two billion to government in order to get out of order railway locomotives fix and get the railway out of loss.Talking to media persons here on Sunday after inaugurating a safari train from Rawalpindi to Taxila, the federal minister said that American railway locomotives known comparatively better than the one came from China and it would take two years to Chinese railway locomotives to assemble and come to Pakistan.Bilour said that final decision of purchase of locomotives whether from China or America would be finalized after court decision as the issue is in court.He said Railway is paying Rs. 4 billion as interest to State Bank on Rs. 40 billion debt and if soon concrete measures would not be taken to revive the railway, it would become impossible to retrieve. He said that railway has been neglected during previous government regime as billions were spent on land purchase for motorway and roads but not even a single penny was spent on railway, holds 60 thousand acre land and 80 thousand employees associated to it.
Bilour while answering to a question said that President and Prime minister are taking right decisions and those who are saying that government is dwindling have to wait for their turn, as government will complete its tenure.Bilour further tell that tourists will get the opportunity to visit historical places through this train that will not only enhance the tourism in the country but shows soft image. Bilour said that more trains will be started for tourism in future – Online
