Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has said the government will ensure completion of Main Line One (ML-1) project of Pakistan Railways on priority basis.

Chairing a meeting in Islamabad today, he said ML-1 is a national project and an important component of the CPEC, which will revolutionize the transport sector in the country.

He said special consideration should be given to the environmental impact during the construction of the project.

He directed to ensure the achievement of ML-1 project goals within the stipulated. He said special attention should be given to transparency in the construction of the project.

The Prime Minister noted that there is a great potential for foreign investment in Pakistan Railways.  By bringing reforms, full advantage should be taken of the capacity of Pakistan Railways.

The meeting was informed that the completion of ML-1 project will create new employment opportunities and the cost of transportation of goods will be greatly reduced. It was informed that this project will reduce the travel cost and time.

The completion of the project will not only improve the communication links of Pakistan's ports with the economic centers of the country but also fulfill the purpose of transit route for other countries of the region under CPEC.

The meeting was informed about the various stages of the completion of ML-1 project. It was informed that the planning regarding the project is in the final stages while the ground breaking of the project will be performed at the beginning of next year. 

The meeting was further informed that the project will be constructed in two phases.

In the first phase, 930 kilometer railway line will be laid from Karachi to Multan. In this section, the railway infrastructure which came under the flood during 2022 will also be upgraded according to international standards.

In the second phase, Multan to Peshawar section of 796 kilometer will be constructed.