PM Shehbaz inaugurates modernized Karachi Cantt railway station

Karachi (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the new Shalimar Express train and modernized Karachi Cantt station on Monday.

Addressing the ceremony, the premier said that digitizing railway operations and introducing modern passenger services would significantly strengthen the national economy.

He noted that the federal government, with the support of the Sindh administration, would move ahead with plans to modernize the Karachi Circular Railway and upgrade stations not only across the province but throughout the country.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Railways Minister Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and several other senior officials and dignitaries attended the event.

PM Shehbaz commended Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi, saying he took on the responsibility of reforming the sector with dedication from the day he assumed office.

After the successful restoration of Lahore Railway Station, Karachi Cantt Station had now also been revamped and equipped with improved facilities for passengers.

He added that the modernization of all stations in Sindh would be carried out with provincial cooperation to ensure comfortable and reliable travel.

PM Shehbaz said the Shalimar Express, which connects Karachi and Lahore, had been transformed into a fully upgraded service.

Calling Karachi the country’s economic engine and “the heart of Pakistan,” he reaffirmed that the federal government would continue working with Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Balochistan to enhance the railway network and support economic stability.

The prime minister also reiterated the government’s intention to expand regional rail links, particularly the Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan railway line, and expressed a strong commitment to reviving the Islamabad–Istanbul route.

PM Shehbaz said that Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi had already begun talks with the Asian Development Bank for a $2 billion loan to further strengthen Pakistan Railways.

Responding to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah’s request to place the Karachi Circular Railway under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Prime Minister assured complete support, calling it a project of vital importance for the city.

He shared that 154 railway stations had so far been modernized and said that once all stations across the country—whether big or small—were upgraded, he would recommend a presidential award for the railways minister.

Earlier, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi said that under the Prime Minister’s direction, major improvements had been achieved within just eight months.

These included the redevelopment of Karachi Cantt Station and the renewal of the Shalimar Express.

He said that Rs1 billion was being invested in the upgradation of Rohri Station, while work was also progressing at Karachi City Station.

He added that 14 trains were being outsourced under government policy and that railway schools and hospitals were being shifted to private administration without compromising the rights of employees. Progress on the ML-1 project was also underway.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah welcomed the Prime Minister to Karachi and reaffirmed his government’s full cooperation.

Earlier after the inauguration, the premier visited the refurbished waiting area, CIP lounge, dining hall, and computerized ticketing system, accompanied by federal ministers, senior railway officials, and the IG Railways.

The event was attended by foreign diplomats, parliamentarians, and senior federal and provincial officers.

PM Shehbaz had earlier been warmly received by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah upon his arrival in the city for his day-long visit.