ISLAMABAD, Minister for Railways, Azam Khan Swati on Monday said Pakistan Railways will come out of heavy losses within the period of six to nine months.
Addressing a news conference, the minister said that he has been in the Ministry of Railways for the last five months and it has become a for-profit institution for the first time in 50 years.
He said earlier, Railways was carrying four percent freight which would hopefully be increased up to ten percent.
The purchase of space, bidding and other matters for the construction of the terminals at different places were also in process.
The minister lamented that Pakistan Railways got zero income from its most valuable land during the last seventy years.
The minister said that Railway officers, Railway police and some other people were involved in illegal occupation of Railways land.
The minister questioned that if the minister’s expenditure is zero, then what should the media think? Swati said that he would never talk about the Railways deficit.
He said that the Royal Palm Club was occupied by the Mafia while the Supreme Court of Pakistan relinquished its possession after which the Royal Palm Club had turned a loss into a profit.
The whole process is being run on the orders of the Supreme Court and if someone would say anything about it on YouTube will be brought to justice, the minister warned.
How happy the people will be to see when Railways will go into profit from the deficit under the leadership and vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said.
The minister said that 132,000 people are paid pension in railways. The Prime Minister and the Finance Minister have set aside a separate account for pensions.
The minister said that the trains will run under public-private partnership as we do not have the capacity to run the railways. How can we run loss-making trains at a loss?
He said all bogies will be auctioned under this project.
The minister said that recommendations have been made to the Prime Minister, Imran Khan regarding 150 colonies for employees.
The laborer will also be happy, he will get the best education and housing facilities.
The railway land will be auctioned for which the bidding system was developed in accordance with the international standards.
The investor will mark the railway land and come to our sale and submit his bid.
Swati said that a system has been in place under which any officer who commits corruption will be caught.
He said that the railway lands worth many billions have been retrieved.
Lands were retrieved in Karachi and Hyderabad through Rangers as we do not have a government in Sindh, he said.
The minister conveyed that 2.5 billion electricity thefts have been controlled through strict monitoring.
He clearly stated that the employees of Railways will not be made permanent as he is not doing politics.
The minister while lamenting about the deplorable condition of the Railways hospitals and schools said,”One can go and see the condition of railway schools and hospitals.”
The minister also said that he is privatizing all the railway hospitals.
The employees of Railways were involved in many issues and 2500 cases have been registered against the responsible.
He said that eleven railway petrol pumps have been seized by the mafia.
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