Restoration of Sibi-Harnai railways section in Balochistan sought

A Senate Standing Committee has asked for the restoration of 133-kilometer long Sibi-Harnai railways section in Balochistan. For this purpose, the Senate Committee asked for a survey to be conducted within a month, jointly by Pakistan Railways and Frontier Constabulary, to repair Bridge no. 94-P. which has not been repaired since December 2005, following terrorist attacks.
It may be recalled that since construction in 1933, the section of the railways has been operated successfully, carrying coal, freight trains and running of two daily passenger trains. It was closed in December 2005 following terrorist attacks, which not only damaged this bridge but seven other bridges also.
However, the seven bridges were repaired after three days, but the crucial bridge 94-P has not been repaired to-date. Therefore, the committee insisted to repair the bridge and restore Sibi-Harnai railway section.
The committee also considered issues of grant of ownership rights to residents of Katchi on Railway land, misuse of railway land leased out by the organisation and closure of railway line between Sibi-Harnai section in Balochistan.
The committee also constituted a sub-committee under Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi, with Engineer Rashid Ahmad and Nawab Ayaz Jogezai to look into the issue of 'Abadis' and ownership rights on railways lands to be granted to the residents of Katchi Abadies.
A sub-committee, earlier constituted by the Standing Committee also considered a report on damages caused to Railways organisation in the aftermath of Benazir Bhutto's murder on December 27, 2007.