Pakistan on Monday launched a new rail freight service to connect the seaports in Karachi with industrial hubs of the country, including Lahore, Multan, and Sialkot.
The inauguration ceremony was held at the Hutchison Ports Pakistan, also called South Asia Pakistan Terminal (SAPT). Right after the inauguration, the freight containers attached to the locomotive started their journey. It will take up to four days for the freight train to reach its destination in Lahore.
From ships to factory gates
Speaking on the occasion, general manager and head of the business unit at Hutchison Ports Pakistan, Captain Syed Rashid Jamil said, “We are extending our physical gates to Multan, Sialkot, and Lahore as the containers will be unloaded from the ships and put on a train that will deliver them to the customers at their factory gates”.
Jamil hoped that the newly launched rail freight service would help improve the trade volume and exports of Pakistan.
Cheaper, cleaner, and faster
Pakistan is encouraging rail freight since it is cheaper, faster, and greener. Besides boosting Pakistan’s trade, the freight service is also expected to ease road traffic congestion caused by container trucks. Also, the service does not need any additional infrastructure to initiate the transportation of goods. Rail freight is also considered eco-friendly since it is more fuel-efficient and reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to trucks.
New track
The freight train service also coincides with the launch of a high-tech train track connecting the Hutchison Ports Pakistan facility to the rest of the country through Pakistan Railway’s extensive network. It is laid out on a ballast-less track system which is preferred over traditional rails due to stability, strong durability, and low maintenance.
New avenues of trade opportunities
Federal Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati said the freight service would open new avenues of trade opportunities in Pakistan. “This will triple the container transport for Pakistan,” and it will transport millions of containers and create more jobs and revenue. Swati also hoped that the initiatives would help Pak Railways to go profitable within six months. The government is considering several new terminals for the freight service with the collaboration of the Karachi Port Trust.