ML-1 railway: Pakistan, China decide to execute $10bn project

[R2D2]

We already have a working train line. No need to build a new one. This is just foolish when we cannot afford to make payments for loans and now taking up big unnecessary loans for railway. Just complete motorway and maintain roads for next five years.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

The train constructed in Lahore , after construction was called bad move as it was running in loss making situation

Has the Lahore Train Project , paid of the 5 Billion Dollar Debt from it's Operations Yet?

1- Showbaz Sharif took 5 Billion "Loan" for 1 Train project
2- Now he is taking 10 Billion "Loan" for Train project


So how can these project pay for themselves if they run as none profit making scenario


Pakistan will have to pay for these failed projects from it's Economy raising inflation even more

Rupee has failed 1 Dollar to 225 rupees

Showbaz should stop executing stupid projects and step down from His post and call Democratic Elections

 

[etylo]

The train constructed in Lahore , after construction was called bad move as it was running in loss making situation

Has the Lahore Train Project , paid of the 5 Billion Dollar Debt from it's Operations Yet?

1- Showbaz Sharif took 5 Billion "Loan" for 1 Train project
2- Now he is taking 10 Billion "Loan" for Train project


So how can these project pay for themselves if they run as none profit making scenario


Pakistan will have to pay for these failed projects from it's Economy raising inflation even more

Rupee has failed 1 Dollar to 225 rupees

Showbaz should stop executing stupid projects and step down from His post and call Democratic Elections

There are many Pakistani seem to be against the Metro subway line in Lahore on the PDF, is this becos that line only benefit the 12 or 20 million people living there ？What are people in Lahore saying about the line ?

 

[Hephaestus]

View attachment 890005

• JCC decides to undertake business-to-business deals under CPEC.
• Pakistan assures of taking initiatives for security of Chinese.
• Both sides agree to expand cooperation in information technology.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Thursday agreed to execute the Mainline-1 (ML-1) railway project at an estimated cost of $10 billion, The News reported.

The Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) also decided to undertake business-to-business deals under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Pakistan will also request for the rollover of deposits and rescheduling of its $27 billion debt.

During the meeting, Pakistan assured China of taking several initiatives for the security of Chinese working under CPEC projects. Both sides have agreed to expand their cooperation in information technology and it was decided that Chinese companies will establish research centres in Pakistan to explore new avenues in this sector.

Pakistan and China held the 11th JCC meeting virtually but both sides could not sign the minutes of the meeting. It was expected that the minutes of the meeting will be signed during the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who, along with a high-powered delegation, will be visiting China from November 1, 2022.

The CPEC meeting was held in Islamabad with both sides expressing satisfaction over the ongoing projects under CPEC while several other projects were proposed. The meeting was co-chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, and Vice Chairman National Development & Reform Commission (NDRC), China, Lin Nianxiu.

Under the leadership of PM Shehbaz, CPEC has emerged as the topmost national priority, said the minister, in his welcome address. The meeting was also informed that another 3,100 MW, which has achieved 90% milestone for FC (700 MW Azad Pattan HPP, 1,124 MW Kohala Hydel Project and 1,320 MW Thar Coal Block-I), will be finalised at the earliest so as to get closer to the envisaged target of 1,7000 MWs.

The projects in motorways and highways of around 888km were also highlighted to be constructed with both Chinese and local financing (another 853km under construction through local financing). The KKH-Thakot-Havelian, one of the flagship projects of this sector, has received international recognition.

Similarly, another priority project, the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) was discussed in length, which will benefit a large segment of the population of Karachi. Both sides have also agreed to start the ML-1 project for the construction of the Karachi to Peshawar rail line link, which was considered to be the backbone of CPEC and remained neglected in the past. It was agreed to include a new area of “Water Resource Management and Climate Change” which will have great importance, especially after the recent floods which badly affected Pakistan.

Similarly, both sides agreed to explore new avenues in the mining sector and it was decided to set up a new working group to explore the sector. The Government of Pakistan has also launched an initiative to include 10,000 MWs of solar energy in the system. Pakistan requested China to create a financing window or a credit line for Chinese companies participating in this project.

Cooperation in the agriculture sector was also discussed in the meeting. The Pakistan government has made a number of new proposals, on which agreements are expected to be completed shortly which include post-disaster reconstruction, global development initiatives, strengthening of digital investment in the economy, 1+5 arrangements for SEZs, an agreement between geological survey institutions of the two countries and cooperation to develop the export potential of Pakistan.

Similarly, the framework agreement on single-window cooperation in inland trade was also proposed. Pakistan also proposed a mechanism for a new area of water resources management and climate change in the CPEC framework, considering the enhanced vulnerability of Pakistan to climate events.

Iqbal highlighted three basic objectives in the meeting which include the revival of CPEC, the inclusion of new projects to increase CPEC’s portfolio and the third was business to business cooperation, which was earlier based on government-to-government.

ML-1 railway: Pakistan, China decide to execute $10bn project

JCC decides to undertake business-to-business deals under CPEC.Pakistan assures of taking initiatives for security of Chinese.Both sides agree to expand cooperation in information technology.ISLAMABAD:...

www.geo.tv

Enough to fund a few more jarnails & politicians to buy their way out of Pakistan.

 

[nahtanbob]

Thats what he is asking for the price of high speed rails by China.

$10 billion for legacy technology like non-HSR project is a bank robbery

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Well, PML approach to loans is take loan and worry later

After Lahore Train project was finished while yes, the project looks beautiful and looked modern, but the train still is not heavily used and runs in a loss-making Year to Year projection

You can't Take Loan, with a bad Business Plan to repay it back

After Pakistan's first Solar Farm was created, immediately after completion it was deemed operating at mere 40% efficiency because they could not hire "Labour" to clean the dust of the solar panels - and they Opted to sell the Massive Solar farm to local private hands for 25% of Price of Project which was built with Sovreign Guarente from Pakistan

Why should some Private friend of Sharif family get the Solar farm for 25% of what loan Pakistan took for Solar farm

The same story exists with the Lahore Metro, immediately after completion it faced delays
and requires a study to determine when will the project pay itself off


When a Bus System is enough with 0% Loan why the 5 billion loan was taken ?


Loan should only be taken "If" you have a plan to pay it back

 

[etylo]

$10 billion for legacy technology like non-HSR project is a bank robbery

Then dont have it if its a robbery of bank, simple as that, china is not forcing on you, the tech is still better than anything tech your shithole country india or UK has on trains now, legacy tech ? Its new train tech like the one in Laos China has just built and China are building on some lines for its own use in China, its just not considered high speed thats all.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Well I am not an economist or and expert but when your National Currency
has fallen suddenly by factor of 150%

It is not the best time to be incurring more "Debt"

For basic person level Loans , you are taught if you as a person have debt on credit card or loan first try to pay that loan off before you go about taking a second Loan

The Same principle applies for any Country level loan

 

[nahtanbob]

Then dont have it if its a robbery of bank, simple as that, china is not forcing on you, the tech is still better than anything tech your shithole country india have on trains now, legacy tech ? Its new train tech like the one in Laos China has just built and China are building on some lines for its own use in China, its just not considered high speed thats all.

Call it what you want. If the deal is inked it is another reason Pakistan stays in trouble

Well I am not an economist or and expert but when your National Currency
has fallen suddenly by factor of 150%

It is not the best time to be incurring more "Debt"

For basic person level Loans , you are taught if you as a person have debt on credit card or loan first try to pay that loan off before you go about taking a second Loan

The Same principle applies for any Country level loan

if your national currency falls by 150% the dollar value of goods does not rise by 150%

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

For Pakistan , the figure has increased suddenly and people are not willing to accept current government because people never voted for it

I do not fully support more "debt" in current circumstances

While a Train speed improvement does moves goods faster but it must not be a loan but a strategic grant

 

[lcloo]

Laos is a very poor country economically with little industrial base. They have built the first transnatiional semi-high speed rail with Chinese technology, and is looking forward to profitable operation.

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/Asia News Network): The amount of cross-border freight transported by the Laos-China railway has risen to more than 1.4 million tonnes, according to a media report.

The inbound-outbound freight transport figure relates to the amount of freight transported from the time the railway opened for service in early December 2021 until Oct 1 this year, China Radio International reported, citing Kunming’s Customs Office.

The value of freight transported totals more than 11.11 billion yuan (more than US$1.54 billion).

Meanwhile in Indonesia, a true HSR of 350km/hr will start test run next month, and will be operational next year.

Rail freight on Laos-China railway exceeds 1.4 million tonnes

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/Asia News Network): The amount of cross-border freight transported by the Laos-China railway has risen to more than 1.4 million tonnes, according to a media report

www.thestar.com.my

 

[beijingwalker]

Laos is a very poor country economically with little industrial base. They have built the first transnatiional semi-high speed rail with Chinese technology, and is looking forward to profitable operation.

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/Asia News Network): The amount of cross-border freight transported by the Laos-China railway has risen to more than 1.4 million tonnes, according to a media report.

The inbound-outbound freight transport figure relates to the amount of freight transported from the time the railway opened for service in early December 2021 until Oct 1 this year, China Radio International reported, citing Kunming’s Customs Office.

The value of freight transported totals more than 11.11 billion yuan (more than US$1.54 billion).

Meanwhile in Indonesia, a true HSR of 350km/hr will start test run next month, and will be operational next year.

Rail freight on Laos-China railway exceeds 1.4 million tonnes

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/Asia News Network): The amount of cross-border freight transported by the Laos-China railway has risen to more than 1.4 million tonnes, according to a media report

www.thestar.com.my

Yes, even Laos can afford it

Indian gets a chance to experience bullet train in Laos

 

[beijingwalker]

China-Laos bullet train

China Laos railway to start commercial operation on 3rd Dec 2021

Top leaders of China and Laos will meet via video link on Friday and jointly witness the opening of the China-Laos Railway, which is expected to not only boost connectivity between Laos and other countries, but also benefit regional development. As the docking project between the China-proposed...

defence.pk

 

[AZ1]

why cant we use this $10 billion loan to build a dam and then from dam and save dollars and then we make this train?


will take years but result would be permanent.

 

[KaiserX]

We already have a working train line. No need to build a new one. This is just foolish when we cannot afford to make payments for loans and now taking up big unnecessary loans for railway. Just complete motorway and maintain roads for next five years.

Its is not foolish to take loans for projects that have a quick ROI say 3-5 years compared to projects that have been loss making subsidized entities. Literally every PMLN led CPEC initiative is subsidized by the government on top of the loans taken. That in itself is foolish. Whether it is IPP agreements, interest taken on loans, subsidized public transport (lahore metro anyone?) every single PMLN infrastructure project has been short sighted and very cost prohibited.

Atleast in IK 3 years such projects were never started...

The quickest bang for the buck are projects that impact most of the population. Say Kalbalagh dam, basha dam, high speed rails, hospitals, educational institutes. We see how much pakistanis are willing to spend on flights, on travel, on medical expenses, on the crap educational institutes even today. Pakistanis are literally spending the most in the region on electricity yet there is still a lot more demand for more. We all know that there is a huge huge demand. And if anything needs to be subsidized is not cheap tickets for lahore metro residents, not cheap electricity for fouji fertilizers/cements/bahria town/DHA while rest of general population is forced to eat grass.

Lastly the most pathetic part is we are most likely paying foreign companies x5 the cost of upgrading a damn 100 year old rail line, including 75 years of pakistans history and yet we dont have a damn domestic company that can upgrade it with domestic made in pakistan steel, matierials, labor, project management? i dont believe that shit. This reeks of corruption.