An official of Pakistan Railways while talking to APP said Railway assets on the closed sections were being watched by the un-armed men which did not provide required protection to the assets.

Now, he said, it has been decided to safeguard these assets through armed police personnel.

He said many FIRs have been registered to arrest the miscreants.

To a question, he said that availability of locomotives for freight train operations had been increased to above 24 locomotives as compared to nine locos last year.

He further said that several steps had been taken to improve availability and reliability of locomotives and it was expected that by the end of current fiscal year the number of locomotives for freight would reach 45.

The government has ordered 58 locomotives to a Chinese company at a cost of Rs19.6 billion of which 23 would reach at Karachi on March 24.

The remaining engines will be received by December 2014, after testing and trial of the locomotives, he added.

He sais these locomotives are equipped with caterpillar US Engine Unit.