Ulaanbaatar: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, on an official visit to Mongolia for the CAREC International Conference, underscored the importance of modernizing Pakistan Railways’ Main Line-1 (ML-1). The initiative is seen as essential to enhancing trade, increasing freight capacity, and improving regional connectivity.
According to Press Information Department, Iqbal addressed the Development Partners Dialogue on “Advancing Trade, Tourism and Regional Competitiveness,” where he outlined Pakistan’s ML-1 modernization strategy. He provided updates on the Karachi-Rohri section’s progress and engaged with the CAREC Institute and an Uzbek delegation.
Iqbal described ML-1 as the backbone of Pakistan’s railway network, spanning 1,726 kilometers from Karachi to Peshawar. It handles 76 percent of passenger traffic and 98 percent of freight traffic, despite infrastructure challenges. He stressed that modernizing the corridor is a national economic priority linked to trade and growth potential.
The proposed upgrades aim to increase line capacity from 34 to 120 train pairs, boost passenger speeds up to 160 km/h, and enhance freight speeds from 30 to 80 km/h. These improvements would cut the Karachi-Rohri travel time from eight hours to roughly four and a half hours and accommodate projected freight demands of 21 million tonnes annually by 2035.
Highlighting the Karachi-Rohri section, Iqbal noted the project’s estimated cost of US$2.5 billion. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) leads the financing, with co-financing from AIIB, World Bank, IsDB, and EIB. He emphasized the project’s advancement beyond the conceptual phase, with secured project readiness financing, undertaken engineering work, and progressing procurement and financing processes.
Iqbal emphasized that the Karachi-Rohri project is a precursor to the complete modernization of the Karachi-Peshawar corridor. He noted ongoing efforts to secure financing for the remaining sections from Rohri to Peshawar.
“The key issue is no longer whether ML-1 needs modernization; the requirement is clear. The priority now is to convert the progress already made on Karachi-Rohri into implementation while securing financing for the remaining corridor in parallel,” Iqbal stated.
He affirmed that a modernized ML-1 would offer a high-capacity railway corridor to support growing passenger and freight demand, strengthening regional trade and connectivity. He stressed the importance of execution and financing continuity to complete ML-1 as an integrated Karachi-Peshawar corridor.
Iqbal’s participation in the CAREC conference highlights Pakistan’s ongoing engagement with regional partners on infrastructure, trade, tourism, and connectivity initiatives aimed at unlocking greater economic opportunities across the region.