PM Shehbaz inaugurates upgraded Shalimar Express at Karachi Cantt Station

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during his visit to Karachi on Monday, inaugurated the upgraded Shalimar Express at Karachi Cantt Station. 

According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, the Prime Minister also inaugurated the newly built waiting hall and electric escalators at the station.

On this occasion, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi briefed the PM on the modern facilities introduced at the Karachi Cantt Station. 

Strict security arrangements had been put in place at Karachi Cantt Station for the Prime Minister’s visit.

Earlier, Prime Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif had arrived in Karachi on a one-day visit. On his arrival, he was received by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and senior provincial officials. 

The Prime Minister inaugurated the New Shalimar Express along with waiting rooms and lounges equipped with modern facilities at Karachi Cantonment Station.

He also reviewed the upgrade project of the railway station, for which railway officials had already finalised all necessary arrangements. 

The Shalimar Express is a daily passenger train operated by Pakistan Railways between Karachi and Lahore. The train currently offers economy class, AC standard class and AC business class.

The journey takes about 18 hours and 40 minutes to complete the 1,286-kilometre (799-mile) route along a section of the Karachi–Peshawar Railway Line.

The service was originally inaugurated in 1979 with just two parlour coaches, stopping at only two stations and covering the then-1,214-kilometre (754-mile) distance in 16 hours.

Pakistan Railways suspended the service on 27 July 2010 due to heavy financial losses, but after a 19-month break, it was revived in collaboration with a private firm, Air Rail Services, on 24 February 2012.

The present-day Shalimar Express comprises seven economy coaches, two AC lower coaches, one parlour car, a dining car, a power van and a luggage van. It now covers the 1,286-kilometre route between Karachi and Lahore in roughly 19 hours. 

It was the first fully air-conditioned train in the Pakistan Railways network, originally featuring 14 parlour coaches, two double-capacity power vans and a dining car. 

The parlour coaches were manufactured at the Pakistan Carriage Factory using German rail technology, each equipped with 52 reclining seats, generous spacing and two main televisions installed in 1987. 

Reporter: Zubair Rashid