ISLAMABAD: The punctuality ratio of Pakistan Railways passenger trains improved by 83 percent in first six months of financial year 2021-2022 due to untiring efforts of the management. “With the punctuality of trains and concrete measures taken by the government, over 20 million passengers have been added in the system, which is ample proof of department’s achievement,” an official in the Ministry of Railways told. He said the punctuality of passenger trains, was 71 percent in 2017-18, 70 percent in 2018-19, and only 40 percent in tenures of the previous governments which was now improving day-by-day on the directives of Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati. “The quality of food served in the passenger trains had been improved considerably as it had been officially supervised by the authorities that passengers should get pure and quality food on the trains,” he added. To a question, he said in pursuance to the policy of the Federal Government, Pakistan Railways had outsourced some of its trains under Public Private Policy (PPP). According to policy decision given by Railways Board, Ministry of Railways, the bids more than the Railways earning would be accepted, he added. He said it was quite evident that the decision had been made to minimize the loss of Pakistan Railways by bridging the gap between earning and expenditure. Hence under this policy, Pakistan Railways had introduced outsourcing of commercial management of passenger and freight trains, luggage/brake vans, dinning cars etc. He said Pakistan Railways was getting fixed amount per annum from these activities through Private Sector without any complicity. The official said a number of steps had been initiated by the incumbent government to rationalize and improve the affairs of Pakistan Railways including the hiring of a new Chief finance Officer (CFO) from private sector to ensure strict financial discipline in Pakistan Railways. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pakistan Railways Freight Transportation Company (PRFTC) had also been hired from private sector to improve and enhance the freight earning of the department, he added. He said E-ticketing was being modernized by introducing the Rail Automated Booking and Travel Assistance (RABTA) system.