Pakistan launches rail freight service to connect ports with industrial hubs

Pakistan launches rail freight service to connect ports with industrial hubs

Islamabad: Pakistan has launched a new rail freight service to connect the ports in the city of Karachi with industrial hubs in farther regions of the country. The freight containers attached to the locomotive began the journey after the inauguration at the Hutchison Ports Pakistan, also called South Asia Pakistan Terminal (SAPT). The train will take up to four days to reach its destination in Lahore. “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,” said. Captain Syed Rashid Jamil, general manager and head of business unit at Hutchison Ports Pakistan. He hoped that the commencement of the freight train service would contribute towards improving Pakistan’s trade volume and exports. The service is aimed at boosting the country’s trade and also ease road traffic congestion caused by container trucks and allow faster movement higher cargo volumes. The country is encouraging rail freight which remains cheaper, faster and greener means of transportation of goods without the need for any additional infrastructure. Rail freight is also considered cleaner transportation as it is more fuel-efficient and