Daily Times

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan on Wednesday said the long term projects of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) also include major rail connectivity project in Balochistan that will connect Gwadar to Mastung via Turbat, Panjgur and Basima.

Replying to a question in the Senate, he said that Pakistan Railway’s Main Line-1 (ML-1) was the main railway corridor connecting Karachi seaport to the northern side of Pakistan up to Peshawar.

He said that apart from ML-1 being the early harvest project of CPEC, the long term projects of CPEC include major rail connectivity projects in Balochistan.

He said that the detailed feasibility study was completed in 2019 at a cost of PKR 149 millions. “In this regard, Pakistan Railways has already acquired land in Gwadar to establish a railway station and container yard,” he said.

In a written reply, the Minister for Railways Azam Swati said once the ML-1 project enters into its execution phase, Pakistan Railways will take up the construction of Gwadar-Mastung and Basima-Jacobabad lines with the Chinese authorities at JCC level. “At the first stage, preliminary design of the project will be completed which will lead to its construction either through PPP/BOT or Chinese funding,” he said.

At present two trains 39 Up 40 Dn Jaffar Express and 349 Up/350 Dn Chaman Mixed Passenger are running on daily basis on the route of Quetta Peshawar Cantt-Quetta and Quetta Chaman -Quetta respectively.

He said that Jaffar Express comprises all classes Air conditioned/ sleeper, air conditioned/business, Air conditioned standard and economy along with services of dining car, adding that these services are catering to the needs of the passengers travelling on this route.