Inflation major challenge, not any movement: Swati.

LAHORE -- Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati has said that inflation is the major challenge for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government instead of any movement against it.

Addressing a press conference at the Pakistan Railways (PR) headquarters here in Saturday, he said that the opposition was a gang of looters and whatever they were doing was aimed at evading accountability.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was struggling to end cartels in the country. He said that a comprehensive business plan for early revival of the railways would be introduced; however, he added that reforms always took time to produce results.

"I have accepted responsibility of the PR as a challenge and the people will observe the difference on the completion of our tenure," he added.

The minister said that safety was a great issue in the Railways as human life is the most precious thing.

"I have written letters to the provincial governments for conversion of unmanned level crossings into manned ones and in case of any tragedy, the provincial governments will be responsible," he added.

He said that the PR would not be privatised; however, capacity building of the staff would be carried out for the betterment of the department.

He said that governments could not run everything; therefore, he added, those sections of the railways would be outsourced which were difficult for the department to manage.

He said that with the help of private parties, an environment of competition could be developed for betterment of the department and to facilitate citizens.

He said that quality of service and punctuality would be ensured to attract maximum number of...