Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed Thursday said Main Line-I (ML-I) project would provide employment opportunities to over 150,000 people as 90 percent labour and technical staff would be hired from inside the county. The project, biggest ever in the history of the country starting form Karachi and culminating at Peshawar would not only decrease unemployment in the country but would also boost the country’s economy, he said during a press conference here.
He said the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) had approved the up-gradation of existing ML-1, 1780 kilometer and after completion, the train would run on the upgraded track at the speed of 160 kilometers per hour. Sheikh Rashid said the railway track was built in 1861 and due to its dilapidated condition it increased incidents but now the track was going to upgrade that help mitigate railways mishaps.
‘ML-I credit goes to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government and after its completion the number of passenger trains will also be increased from 34 to 140,’ he added. He congratulated Prime Minister Imran Khan, Adviser to PM on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Special Assistant to PM on Information and Broadcasting Asim Saleem Bajwa for showing special interest in the project and its timely commencement, he said.
