A high level meeting was held at the Chief Minister Secretariat Quetta under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti and Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, in which a principled agreement was reached between the Government of Balochistan and Pakistan Railways on the Peoples Train Service and other joint development projects.
Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi termed the Peoples Train Service a fine example of mutual cooperation between Pakistan Railways and the Government of Balochistan and said that the project would prove to be a milestone in providing affordable and safe travel facilities in Balochistan. He said that for the first time in the 78 year history of Pakistan Railways, a decision on provincial level devolution has been taken and Balochistan has assumed practical leadership, which is a strong example of trust and cooperation between the federation and the provinces.
Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti informed the meeting that Rs 1.40 billion would be released this week for the Peoples Train Service project. He said that after the launch of the Sariab to Kuchlak Peoples Train Service, it would be extended to Mastung and Pishin, while the Government of Balochistan would also provide resources for the construction of railway stations and upgradation of infrastructure. According to him, the restoration of the railway system and provision of affordable travel facilities to the public is the top priority of the government.
It was also informed in the meeting that other provinces have shown interest in local railway service projects, however practical progress has been made by Balochistan, which reflects the effective leadership and clear vision of the Chief Minister. Later, the Chief Minister Balochistan and the Federal Minister for Railways also visited the Railway Football Ground and reiterated their commitment to fast track progress on public welfare projects.
