Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Saturday hinted at selling the Pakistan Railways Karachi land to overcome its deficit.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the railways minister said the Supreme Court at the last hearing in the railways losses case had given a go-ahead to the ministry to sell Karachi land in order to overcome its deficit.

“The apex court has allowed the Pakistan Railways to sell its land to overcome deficits. We are right now considering to sell the Karachi property. If we become successful in that task, the railways’ deficit will end in one year,” claimed Sheikh Rasheed.

He went on to say that inflation is the biggest enemy of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, saying that the incumbent government was taking measures to overcome inflation and economic crisis. “Those who are behind the inflation and hike in flour, sugar prices will be held accountable at any cost,” he said. Jahangir Tareen and Khusro Bakhtiar are not involved in the sugar, flour price hike as per the inquiry report,” he said.

Commenting over the ML-1 project, he said that the project will be completed in the next five to eight years. Announcing good news to the nation, the minister said: “The government will finalize ML-1 plan by February 28.”

Replying to a question of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl’s second round of arrest, Sheikh Rasheed said, “Fazl will get arrested if he once again marches towards Islamabad.” He said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Shehbaz Sharif will arrive in Pakistan at the end of March. The Railways minister once again rejected reports of Maryam Nawaz’s London travel. “Maryam is not going anywhere and Nawaz is not coming back to Pakistan”.

Rasheed also said that Chaudhry Nisar, who is in London nowadays, didn’t hold any meeting with PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.