KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said the digitisation and modernisation of Pakistan Railways would play a key role in strengthening the national economy, as he inaugurated the upgraded Shalimar Express and newly renovated facilities at Karachi Cantt Railway Station.
Addressing the ceremony—also attended by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and federal ministers—the prime minister said the federal and Sindh governments would jointly modernise the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) and upgrade all railway stations across the province and the country. He added that similar coordination would be expanded to Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan.
PM Shehbaz said Railway Minister Muhammad Hanif Abbasi had worked “diligently” to modernise the system, beginning with upgrades in Lahore and now Karachi. He noted that 54 stations had already been modernised, and promised that once the nationwide upgrades were completed, he would recommend a presidential award for Abbasi.
The premier said the freight system was also being reorganised, while the federal and Sindh governments were jointly financing the rail link for transporting Thar coal. He pledged full funding to meet project timelines.
He outlined long-term railway expansion goals, including the Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan rail link and the revival of the Islamabad–Tehran–Istanbul route. He added that discussions were underway with the Asian Development Bank for a $2 billion loan to upgrade the Karachi–Rohri section, which would ultimately connect to the Reko Diq project.
Responding to a request from the Sindh chief minister, the prime minister said the government would work to include the KCR project in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), calling it “inevitable” for Karachi’s commuters.
Earlier, Minister Abbasi said significant improvements had been made in just eight months, including the overhaul of Karachi Cantt Station and the renewal of the Shalimar Express. He added that Rs1 billion was being spent on upgrading Rohri Station, with further work underway at Karachi City Station.
He also said 14 trains were being outsourced under government policy, and that railway hospitals and schools were being shifted to private management while ensuring employees’ job security. Work on the ML-1 project was also progressing, he added.
The ceremony was attended by senior officials, diplomats, and parliamentarians. PM Shehbaz toured the upgraded waiting rooms, CIP lounge, dining hall, and digital ticketing system after unveiling the plaque for the new Shalimar Express.
