Railways to resume Jaffar Express operations by end of this week

ISLAMABAD, OCT 9 (APP/DNA):Pakistan Railways is all set to resume the operations of the Jaffar Express passenger train which is running between Quetta and Peshawar by the end of this week after a weeks-long suspension.

“The 39-Up and 40-Down Jaffar Express, which operates between Quetta and Peshawar Cantonment will resume its service during the second week of October according to the summer timetable,” an official in the Ministry told APP.

He said that the train services were suspended across the country on August 26 after a key railway bridge between Kolpur and Mach was destroyed in a blast carried out by the banned organization of Balochistan.

The official said the blast was a part of multiple coordinated attacks carried out that night by dozens of armed militants in Lasbela, Musakhail, Kachi, Kalat, and Mastung districts.

He said following the destruction of the railway bridge, Pakistan Railways halted all incoming and outgoing passenger and goods train services from Quetta to Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar.

The official said that 90 percent of the repair work of the bridge had been completed, and matters had also been settled with the local administration and the FC to ensure the safety of the railway track, bridge, and train.

“A trial run will be conducted after the railway track is laid on the newly constructed bridge, which is expected next week,” the official added.

Currently, the official said that no passenger or goods train services are operational between Quetta and the rest of the country.

To a question, he said the expenditure of only three heads including regular salaries, pension, and operational fuel (HSD) is about 89 percent of the total expense, thus leaving only 11 percent of its total budget for utilities, repair, and maintenance of its operational assets.

The official said that in addition, Pakistan Railways is bound to follow the Federal Government pay and pension structure, adding that pension, with exponential growth, is a fundamental challenge that had adversely impacted its performance.

He said that Pakistan Railways is bearing all its operating expenses including salary, and fuel from its revenues except pension which is provided by the federal government through annual grants in aid. In view of the explained position, the Pakistan Railways cannot be considered as a loss-making entity.