Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed Tuesday said the entire Pakistani nation was standing with the Chinese people, who were passing through the difficult time after the breakout of lethal Coronavirus. He expressed these view during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing, who called on him here, a press release said.
The minister sympathized with the envoy over the loss of precious lives due to the virus. Secretary Pakistan Railways Habibur Rehman Gilani was also present in the meeting. During the meeting, the two sides also discussed ongoing projects between Pakistan-China and agreed to accelerate their pace. Sheikh Rashid said after the approval from the Ministry of Planning in March, the work on Peshawar-Karachi Main-Line-One (ML-1) project would be started during the current year.
He thanked the Chinese ambassador for taking keen interest in the ML-1 project and expressed the hope that steps would be taken to restore the Karachi Circular e Railway (KCR) project. The Supreme Court of Pakistan also expressed the desire for restoration of the ML-1 and KCR projects. ‘We will take steps with the assistance China in that regard.’
Sheikh Rashid said the ML-1 would be completed within a period of five-year at a cost of about $ 9 billion. He said the ML-1 project was very important for Pakistan Railways and strengthening the national economy. ‘Chinese partnership will change the destiny of Pakistan Railways,’ he said.
Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing said rapid development of road and rail infrastructure was inevitable for economic development of Pakistan.’We will fully cooperate with Pakistan’ he added. He said Pakistan and China always stood with each other in difficult times.
