By Syed Marwan Shah ISLAMABAD, March 09 (INP-WealthPK): The Pakistan Railways (PR) has long been confronting numerous challenges including continuous financial losses, depleting assets, and consumer dissatisfaction. However, its obsolete and substandard rail track dwarfs all these challenges. The outdated rail track gauge needs immediate advancement and upgradation, as it is hindering trade with the neighbouring countries, especially Iran and Turkey. According to a research conducted by WealthPk, the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) freight train gets delayed by three to five days because of the outdated track gauge causing wastage of time and substantial financial losses to the traders. Presently, the ITI train tranships freight to other trains before reaching its final destination because Pakistan's track gauge is not compatible with the Iranian and Turkish gauge, which is 4 feet and 8.5 inches wide or 1,435mm compared to Pakistan's track which is 5 feet and 6 inches broad or 1,676mm. Pakistan's track gauge is currently used in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Chile. In order to reduce the train time to reach its destination, the Pakistan Railways is working on a proposed draft worth half a billion-dollar for a standardized rail track. The track – compatible with the Iranian and Turkish rail tracks – starts from Quetta and ends at Taftan, covering 635 kilometres. This standard gauge rail track will also be used to transport freight to Europe and Central Asia thus eventually increasing the country's trade and bringing the local traders to the mainstream. It was due to the long waiting time, reduced facilities, scarcity of rail wagons/bogies, and transport charges that a trade deal between Pakistan and Afghanistan could not be brokered, forcing the Afghan traders to use Iran’s Bandar Abbas seaport despite the fact that they have to cover greater distance compared to Karachi seaport via Chaman and Torkham. Currently, the PR is working on Mazar-e-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar rail project (Trans Afghan Railways) to rebuild ties with Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics (CAR). The project, costing around USD5 billion, will connect the Central Asian states to the seaports of Karachi, Gwadar, and Bin Qasim via Afghanistan with a track length of 573km. Minister for Railways Azam Swati said the project will provide a gateway for Pakistan to access CARs and earn substantial revenue in terms of dollars, which in return balance the ongoing mix of external and fiscal deficit. The present rail network comprises Main Line (ML) 1, 2, and 3. ML-1 starts from Peshawar and ends at Karachi via Lahore covering 1,681 kilometres, while ML-2 commences from Attock and finishes at Kotri covering 1,243km. Lastly, ML-3 starts from Rohri and ends at Thaftan, covering 966 kilometres. Pakistan needs to refurbish and build new rail tracks to come to grips with its socio-economic challenges. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will ensure a coordinated and sequenced network, which will help improve and expand the rail network and facilitate trade. Under the multibillion-dollar CPEC, the rail network will be organized. 1,050km Gwadar-Basima-Jacobabad, 628km Havelian-Khunjerab (including Havelian dry port) and 700km Karachi-Gwadar rail tracks will be constructed, while 959km Havelian to Jacobabad rail track will be upgraded. Moreover, refurbishment of 1,736km Peshawar-Lahore-Karachi (ML-1) track, which is also part of CPEC, will boost tourism, generate revenue to shore up the economy, and provide livelihoods to the people. The above railway links will ensure greater connectivity to a number of remote areas of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan, and the other networks to harness trade with the whole of South Asia. According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the future socio-economic growth depends upon improvement in the road and rail infrastructure that provides connectivity to support industrial development and scaling up of social service provision through schools, hospitals, and sanitation services. So, advancement and upgradation of the railway infrastructure through the CPEC will increase the citizens’ access to basic needs including health, water, and energy, which are currently unavailable in the far-flung areas of Pakistan.