Federal govt urged to run special trains for Peshawar

PESHAWAR: The Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged the federal government to take steps for operating special trains and passenger trains for export cargo, goods trains, and GITA (Goods in Transit to Afghanistan) from Peshawar.

In a statement, the chamber’s leader and Member Executive Committee of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, thanked Prime MinisterShehbaz Sharif and Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi for resuming the services of the Khushal Khan Khattak Express from April 25.

Sarhadi, who is also the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Railway and Dry Port at the SCCI, said it was good news that a unique and historic train of Pakistan Railways-Khushal Khan Khattak Express-was once again resuming its journey from April 25.

He appreciated the efforts of the Railways Minister to make the department active and dynamic and for working to bring it out of deficit.“This is the only express train that connects important cities like Larkana, Dadu, Kot Addu, Layyah, Mianwali, Bhakkar, and Dera Ghazi Khan directly to Karachi and Peshawar. It offers full economy class service with comfortable seats for passengers undertaking long journeys,” Sarhadi added.

The total distance covered by the train is 1,512 kilometers, with a travel duration of approximately 34 hours and 15 minutes. The Khushal Khan Khattak Express was suspended in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent floods, he recalled.

Sarhadi claimed that a certain lobby had conspired to halt cargo and passenger trains from Peshawar and had unfortunately succeeded in their aim.He called on the federal minister to take strict action against these “black sheep” in the department and to immediately initiate special and passenger train services for export cargo, goods trains, and GITA from Peshawar.