Zardari orders early release of funds to PRs

President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday advised the government to release funds within seven days for payment of salaries and pension of the railway employees who have been agitating against non-payment of salaries.The president ordered the government to arrange a loan of Rs 6 billion for locomotive repairs and purchase of new locomotives. The loan will be used exclusively for the purpose and will not be diverted for any other purpose. Farhatullah Babar, the Spokesperson to the president said that the meeting had been convened specially to examine proposals for salvaging Pakistan Railways with the help of private sector from the abyss into which it had fallen. Private sector entrepreneurs were also invited to the meeting to discuss public-private partnership model for revamping railways, he said.Zardari said that Pakistan Railways have great opportunities for public private partnership. He said that locomotive rehabilitation, outsourcing of maintenance, commercialization of passenger services and leasing of the locomotives are some of the areas in which private sector can join hands with the public sector in a mutually beneficial partnership.