Rail link talks with China next month
MUHAMMAD BILAL
ISLAMABAD (December 21 2006): Pakistan and China are likely to hold bilateral talks next month to materialise the proposed plan of establishing rail link between South Asian neighbouring countries.
It is learnt that a Pakistani delegation headed by Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed will visit Beijing early next month to discus the proposed plan aimed at bolstering Sino-Pak economic ties.
Both sides are considering to establish the said rail route from Havelian (Pakistan) to the Chinese border along the strategic Karakoram Highway to expand the avenues of bilateral co-operation in various sectors.
President General Pervez Musharraf has quite often expressed his desire to convert Pakistan into an energy corridor for China through much-awaited Gwadar seaport and developing new rail and road networks.
It is learnt that both sides were already engaged in carrying out a feasibility study to find out the possibilities of operating a rail service. It is worth mentioning that the two sides have pledged to rehabilitate and widen the Karakoram Highway, known as eighth wonder of the world, during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Pakistan.
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