Islamabad: Pakistan Railways has entered into agreements with a Chinese firm and a Pakistani company to install optical fiber cables along two critical railway routes. These strategic partnerships are aimed at enhancing the railway’s communication infrastructure and generating additional revenue.

According to Zameen.Com, the agreement with the Chinese company focuses on the Main Line-1 (ML-1) route, stretching from Kemari to Peshawar Cantt. For this project, Pakistan Railways has already secured an advance payment of PKR 256 million. The second agreement, with a Pakistani company, covers the installation of optical fiber cables from Kemari to Lodhran, with an advance payment of PKR 135 million received.

These agreements, each with a term of three years and potential for extensions, were signed by Pakistan Railways’ CEO, Amir Ali Baloch. At the signing ceremony, Baloch highlighted the importance of these collaborations in enhancing the financial stability of the organization. He expressed optimism about the potential for more profitable ventures with both domestic and international partners in the future.

Additionally, Baloch discussed operational challenges in the Quetta Division, where efforts are underway to restore Balochistan’s railway connectivity with the rest of the country within the next two weeks. He assured that train services would resume as soon as the security situation permits. Baloch also addressed recent disruptions caused by heavy rains, assuring that normal train operations are expected to resume by the end of the month.