Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways had outsourced the commercial management of nine trains to private parties under public-private partnership through a fair and transparent bidding process during the tenure of the incumbent government.

The basic purpose to outsource the trains were to provide better facilities to the passengers and generate more revenue for the department, an official in the Ministry of Railways told. Pakistan Railways privatized the trains included Mehr Express, Fareed Express, Faiz Ahmad Faiz Express, Jinnah Express, Mehran Express, Badar Express, Sir Syed Express, Ghauri Express, Mianwali Express, he added. He said the companies which took the commercial management of the trains included S. Jamil and Co. (Pvt) Limited, PRACS, Raas Logistic, As Enterprises, AA Enterprises, and SSR Group.

The official said the trains had been awarded through the transparent procedure of tendering under Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) Rules through advertisement in the leading newspapers. He said only those trains were awarded whose bids had been received over and above the Pakistan Railways earning. The official said the trains had been awarded the objective to increase earning and reduce losses of Pakistan Railways, improve cleanness and provide better food facilities to passengers.

To a question, he said Pakistan Railways was planning to outsource its hospitals in the country to upgrade, expand and rehabilitate them under the public-private partnership. He said the department had organized a roadshow to attract the private sector to join the government in its efforts for improving and upgrading health services in railway hospitals.