Tourist Trains planned for Pakistan

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

SLAMABAD, Nov 6: Pakistan Railways is going to re-launch its tourist train with the aim to offset some of its losses.

Effective from November 23, first train will take tourists for a day’s trip to Khewra where the world’s second largest salt mine exists.

It is a part of a salt range which stretches over 300kms.

The ‘tourist train’ will be run by Pakistan Railways Advisory and Consultancy Service (PRACS), a subsidiary of Pakistan Railways, on weekly basis.

The Pakistan Railways suspended its last tourist service between Rawalpindi and Taxila Museum in October 2010.

According to Mr Shahid Saleem, Joint Director Business Development of PRACS, it has been decided that the tourist train will also run between Rawalpindi and Taxila, Attock Khurd, Rohtas Fort and Mangla dam.

Later on, the service will be extended to other tourist attractions.

Special coaches have been built for the tourist train.

With the start of winter season, PRACS had started receiving queries from educational institutions seeking chartered tourist trains for different places of historic importance, PRACS official said.

According to railways officials the train was suspended on the instructions of the ministry of railways owing to security situation.

However, facts speak a different story, and according to an official document, aging locomotives, shortage of equipment, over-staffing and large debt continue to take their toll on railways.—Amin Ahmed

 

[VCheng]

Funny how all of the pictures (except the hundred year old steam engine) are from areas where there are no train tracks, and not one of Khewra itself.

Besides, where are all these tourists going to come from? Certainly not from abroad given the overall situation.

 

[RangerPK]

I think we need to build tourism within our more stable areas. Starting from Punjab, and then heading slowly towards north. We can use manjo daro sites, and Buddhist heritage as tourist attraction.

Then we can think about venturing into northern areas, which are bit unstable.

Also, we can advertise Lahore as a historical tourist city, since Lahore is quite old in the region, and has seen many different empires that have left their foot print there..

 

[Pakistanisage]

Trains should take tourist on Day Trips to these areas from Big cities like Peshawar , Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, Quetta and Karachi and bring them back the same day.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

My feeling is quite opposite , I feel that the cities of Pakistan need massive cleanup and care , as oppose to the 95% of uninhabited beauty of Pakistan lies in

a) Uncharted mountains
b) Lush green valleys
c) Unexplored lakes etc

Tourist have mind of an adventurer

They don't want to drive on brick road , in city complete opposite of how a westerner thinks


Pakistan needs to Tap into its NATURAL heritage , no disrespect to Lahore , Karachi , Pishawar , Gwadar etc Islamabad but , those cites offer a side menu , the main course for visitors are
Historic cites (Ruins of Indus Valley) or the Natural reserves area

I am suprised why with such beautiful scenery they don't have a Million Dollar Cycling race to attact positive PR (Public relations publicity) in country

There is more to Pakistan then just the Mega Cities of Country like Lahore , Karachi or Islamabad , real beauty lies in "Undiscovered areas"

What we need is a "MEGA project" to get people's attention in positive manner
and by that I don't mean a new Shopping mall


Pakistan has every thing

a) Snow -> Snow /Sky resorts
b) Sea -> Sea resorts
c) Adventure Safari like trips to Baluchistan area
d) Green areas like Valleys
e) Vast amount of land , un discovered

What else can a adventurer ask for

 

[HariPrasad]

SLAMABAD, Nov 6: Pakistan Railways is going to re-launch its tourist train with the aim to offset some of its losses.

Effective from November 23, first train will take tourists for a day’s trip to Khewra where the world’s second largest salt mine exists.

It is a part of a salt range which stretches over 300kms.

The ‘tourist train’ will be run by Pakistan Railways Advisory and Consultancy Service (PRACS), a subsidiary of Pakistan Railways, on weekly basis.

The Pakistan Railways suspended its last tourist service between Rawalpindi and Taxila Museum in October 2010.

According to Mr Shahid Saleem, Joint Director Business Development of PRACS, it has been decided that the tourist train will also run between Rawalpindi and Taxila, Attock Khurd, Rohtas Fort and Mangla dam.

Later on, the service will be extended to other tourist attractions.

Special coaches have been built for the tourist train.

With the start of winter season, PRACS had started receiving queries from educational institutions seeking chartered tourist trains for different places of historic importance, PRACS official said.

According to railways officials the train was suspended on the instructions of the ministry of railways owing to security situation.

However, facts speak a different story, and according to an official document, aging locomotives, shortage of equipment, over-staffing and large debt continue to take their toll on railways.—Amin Ahmed

Looks Awesome. I would like to Visit.

 

[FaujHistorian]

Pakistani tourism cannot succeed until we continue imposing our Islamist views and tribal behavior on others.

Not gonna happen.

Steam trains, PIA planes, our hotel industry will continue to suffer all thanks to Mullah pigs driving our national agenda.


This is why I say "Islamism is antithesis of Pakistani nation". The two cannot exist in the same region in the same space and time.

 

[dray]

Pakistani tourism cannot succeed until we continue imposing our Islamist views and tribal behavior on others.

Not gonna happen.

Steam trains, PIA planes, our hotel industry will continue to suffer all thanks to Mullah pigs driving our national agenda.


This is why I say "Islamism is antithesis of Pakistani nation". The two cannot exist in the same region in the same space and time.

Maybe true! But then you don't need Pakistan!! Islam was not the reason for partition, Islamization was!

 

[livingdead]

Beautiful train....
There is a huge demand for experiencing steam trains, you can charge 5 times, nobody will mind...

 

[Areesh]

This train would only be good enough if it goes through GB area. Like that region is immensely beautiful. Any other region other than GB is not accepted.

 

[FaujHistorian]

Maybe true! But then you don't need Pakistan!! Islam was not the reason for partition, Islamization was!

Now my dear you are taling like an Islamist Mullah who is typically worth few cents.

It is the Mullah language that gets repeated by so many Indians sadly.

FYI!

Pakistan was formed for people living in the states (Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, the then Frontier) and Suhrawardy's E. Bengal was added to it later. People of these provinces didn't want to be ruled by Dilli. It was that simply.

However you and our Mullahs ignore our people and simply bring in false religiosity and pathetic Islamism.

Terrible terrible for sure.

 

[dray]

Now my dear you are taling like an Islamist Mullah who is typically worth few cents.

It is the Mullah language that gets repeated by so many Indians sadly.

FYI!

Pakistan was formed for people living in the states (Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, the then Frontier) and Suhrawardy's E. Bengal was added to it later. People of these provinces didn't want to be ruled by Dilli. It was that simply.

However you and our Mullahs ignore our people and simply bring in false religiosity and pathetic Islamism.

Terrible terrible for sure.

Oh dear! I wish that was true! But the partition happened only on the basis of religion; politics, power, etc. did fuel the communal sentiments, but the sole argument was that Hindus and Muslims can't live together, no matter how damn similar the Punjabis or the Bengalis of both sides were. And the massacre that followed was also completely communal in nature, people killed each other only because they belong to a different religion, and not because of language, region, or anything else. So, "don't want Delhi rule" theory was not the reason for partition. Had we the people of both sides learned to keep religion as a matter of personal faith only, we would have a far more peaceful and prosperous living today, and the idea of partition wouldn't arise. Lastly, you might reconsider your assessment of me as a "Mullah" mentality!

However, that's not the topic. Tourist trains are great idea, and the photos are beautiful. Only concern for foreigners might be security. We also have tourist trains and heritage trains, some are as gorgeous as 5-star hotels.

 

[FaujHistorian]

..... but the sole argument was that Hindus and Muslims can't live together, ...

you my dear are spreading ignorance.

Do you even realize this was the Congressi propaganda? Do you?

Do you know who made this statement first?

Hint hint?

It was 1922.


Let's see how much you know about your history.

Thank you


p.s. I am separating this topic into a thread. post your response there please.

Congressi Propaganda: Hindu Majority provinces and Muslim Majority provinces can't live together

 

[rockstar08]

heaven

 

[Shardul.....the lion]

Nice pics.. we too in India have similar beautiful regions like uttarakhand, kashmir, ladakh, sikkim and also north east states and hilly mountains of deccan...
We need to advertise our strengths in tourism throughout the world to gain foreign currency...

But one innocent question, does sharia and Islam approve tourism