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The Railway Division submitted the ML-I project brief to ECNEC without obtaining funding from the Public Sector Development Programme, China or any other international financial institution. Photo: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
Work on the Main Line-I (ML-I) project will begin from Karachi port in July 2026, Railway Minister Hanif Abbasi announced on Tuesday.
The ML-1 initiative is designed to review and modernize major railway infrastructure, improving both freight and passenger connections between Karachi and Peshawar.
Last month, at a review meeting of the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) projects, it was said that the project would start in July this year.
During his recent visit to Karachi and a meeting with Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Chairman Rear Admiral (retd) Shahid Ahmed, Abbasi said that a joint strategy has been finalized to improve the port’s logistics and cargo handling performance.
Both sides agreed to strengthen the railway system to ensure efficient transportation of cargo from Karachi port, according to a statement issued on Tuesday.
The minister outlined major reform initiatives in the freight transport sector and highlighted that serious efforts are being made to shift freight movement from road to rail in order to improve efficiency and reduce logistics costs.
He said Pakistan Railways would significantly expand its cargo handling capacity in the coming months. As part of this initiative, the railway infrastructure connected to the Karachi port will be improved and made more efficient.
Abbasi further announced that the 54 kilometer railway stretch between KPT and Pipri will be modernized to facilitate faster and smoother movement of cargo.
