Pakistan to assist Saudi Arabia in building Railway Network

[Edevelop]

Pakistan has set its sight on a financially beneficial mutual agreement with Saudi Arabia which would enable it to earn billions annually for providing technical assistance in building a strong railway network in the oil-rich Arab country, reliable sources said here on Thursday.



“Saudi Arabia has itself sought technical help and a high-powered Saudi delegation is likely to visit Pakistan in the coming weeks to sort out modalities for a mutual agreement with regard to construction of railway network in Saudi Arabia,” sources said.



Sources said a preliminary meeting between high officials of Pakistan Railways and the representative of a Saudi railway company was held in first week of this month in Islamabad in which it was decided that a Saudi delegation would come to Pakistan to give final shape to draft of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).



Sources said the initial plan discussed in the meeting stated that Pakistan would provide 300 technical experts in first phase and their number would increase gradually and they would help Saudi Arabia in building tracks and dealing with issues related to locomotives and passenger trains.



“The Saudi government would not only offer perks and privileges to the Pakistani experts who would work there but also help revive Pakistan Railways by providing huge amount of funds,” sources said.



An official who requested anonymity confided to this correspondent that the Saudi government first asked Pakistan to train its railway officials but later it was decided that Pakistan would send its own experts to carry out groundwork in Saudi Arabia.



He said Saudi Arabia has planned multi-billion dollar railway project in which it would construct 1,418km railway line that would run from Riyadh to Haditha (near the border of Jordan).



“But we would take care about it that sending technical experts to Saudi Arabia would not turn into a brain drain so selection of the officials would be done keeping in view interests of the Pakistan Railways,” he said.



When contacted, Pakistan Railways Chairperson Parveen Agha told this scribe that Pakistan had already carried out some railway projects in Saudi Arabia in the past and “We have strong credentials in their eyes as work done by our experts was highly up to the mark.” “I would not say that we will certainly get success in striking an agreement with Saudi Arabia but as far as the initial talks are concerned we can say that the Saudis have very positive opinion about our technical experts on the basis of their past experience,” she said.


Pakistan to assist Saudi Arabia in building railway network - thenews.com.pk

 

[dawn_news]

What? How when Pakistan rail network is in shambless

 

[NP-complete]

Saudis are obviously giving this contract to Pakistan as a gesture of goodwill. They couldve got the assistance from any of the advanced countries. Its part to their policy to get Pakistan closer to them.

 

[hkdas]

pakistan railway is in an urgent need of assistance then how did pakistan assist a rich country like KSA??!!

 

[BATMAN]

pakistan railway is in an urgent need of assistance then how did pakistan assist a rich country like KSA??!!

I think mainly labor, looks like indians are again sidelined! but how do you know about the Pakistan railway's current affairs?

 

[jatt+gutts]

khud miya faseehat danay chhalay naseehat... lol

 

[hkdas]

I think mainly labor, looks like indians are again sidelined! but how do you know about the Pakistan railway's current affairs?

it is famous...india, pakistan BD, Myanmar have the worst railway in Asia...

 

[BATMAN]

it is famous...india, pakistan BD, Myanmar have the worst railway in Asia...

Yes, but if they are made to work under Arab management, they all produce good results.
We are witnessing this from decades in middleast.

 

[Airboss786]

What? How when Pakistan rail network is in shambless

LMAO....Ain't that the Truth!!!!

The title should be more like.....Pakistan to 'SUPPLY' Labor......it could be construed as 'assist', like the title suggests....but more like in a 'pure labor' capacity. Truly NOT in 'Expertise' capabilities!

 

[hkdas]

Yes, but if they are made to work under Arab management, they all produce good results.
We are witnessing this from decades in middleast.

ya, but pakistan railway don't get any benefit from this...in a Democratic country like india or pakistan corrupted politicians are making decisions. if the ruling party propose any project, then the opposition will oppose that proposal.

2 years before there is a proposal from japan provide loan and technology for a high speed rail in kerala( the sate i am from) kerala has the highest literacy rate in india- 93% and i am living in kottayam where highest literacy rate in kerala 96%.... i saw a banner placed by opposition party, the content was " don't allow the high speed trains in kerala because if the train crash then people living in a radius of 2 km will be killed!!!....
if the situation in kerala is like this then what will be in bihar... those corrupted politicians are living only to do corruption. i think politicians in pakistan is no differ from india...

 

[Chak Bamu]

Good development.

I do not think that KSA would fork out money for ultra high speed trains over the very long distances in the kingdom. That would entail a very high expenditure.

They might want to have a more conventional system operating at, say 140-160 Kilometer Per Hour. That is where Pakistanis might be able to contribute positively. Pakistan Railway has operated at 120 KPH in the past.

But I doubt that Pakistanis would be given a lead role in this.

 

[Jaanbaz]

Pakistan to provide bulk of labour for the project. Anyway good news for the workers and their families.

 

[Edevelop]

Good development.

I do not think that KSA would fork out money for ultra high speed trains over the very long distances in the kingdom. That would entail a very high expenditure.

They might want to have a more conventional system operating at, say 140-160 Kilometer Per Hour. That is where Pakistanis might be able to contribute positively. Pakistan Railway has operated at 120 KPH in the past.

But I doubt that Pakistanis would be given a lead role in this.

They have high speed trains. Its under construction

 

[Fracker]

If it's true, it is wonderful news for Pakistan & Pakistanis. It's huge project, estimating (61+17+6) Billion dollar for KSA, OMAN & UAE respectively. It will help us to raise our inhouse standards as well as Jobs for the experts & worker's Families.

So many countries eye on this project, it's actually kind of honor for Pakistan to assist on this project.

 

[Al Bhatti]

Yes, but if they are made to work under Arab management, they all produce good results.
We are witnessing this from decades in middleast.

Not just in Arab countries but in any country if given the right environment and conditions to give and show their capabilities they do not stay back. Meanwhile in Pakistan such an environment does not exist thanks to the politicians.

GCC countries don’t have a large population like Pakistan yet their tourism and non-oil business is more than Pakistan’s. In Pakistan if we have the same conditions we do not have to hire expertise from outside and everything can be sourced and managed locally.

Just as an example, if the standard of living of the common man goes up imagine the size of the revenue generated from tourism tourism in Pakistan from just the Pakistanis, let alone the foreigners who will come to Pakistan.

Shame on the politicians that they are not utilizing the best and costliest resource Pakistan has, it's citizens, as they should be for the better of the nation.

When contacted, Pakistan Railways Chairperson Parveen Agha told this scribe that Pakistan had already carried out some railway projects in Saudi Arabia in the past and “We have strong credentials in their eyes as work done by our experts was highly up to the mark.” “I would not say that we will certainly get success in striking an agreement with Saudi Arabia but as far as the initial talks are concerned we can say that the Saudis have very positive opinion about our technical experts on the basis of their past experience,” she said.

And inside Pakistan?