Railways offers 3 routes for NATO

Lahore: Pakistan Railways has offered three routes for NATO containers’ transportation. Railways authorities said they can operate three transport trains daily with thirty 40-feet containers.

According to sources Pakistan Railways has offered to open three routes for the transportation of NATO containers from Karachi to Peshawar.These three routes included Karachi to Peshawar via Kot Adu and Kundian, Karachi to Peshawar via Shershah, Shoor Kot and Mianwali and Chaman route. Pakistan Railways has also ensured provision of tracks and 4000 open wagons in this regard.

The cooperation has been sought from NATO in this regard to provide 30 engines on lease or bear the maintenance charges of engines in the present stock while Pakistan Railways would adjust this amount in the rent of containers.

However, the NATO authorities have rejected proposals of Pakistan Railways saying they cannot compel the contract company that manages NATO shipment containers from New York to Kabul to do so, adding any direct deal with Pakistan Railways was not possible in this regard.

It is worth mentioning regarding NATO containers transportation that Pakistan Railways has capacity of operating 60 trains on daily basis from Karachi but currently only 20 passengers trains are operating.According to the statistics of Ministry of Commerce and Trade, at least 9 cargo trains are required for the transportation of 270 NATO containers on daily basis.