Islamabad: Pakistan and China have agreed on the technical aspects of a $8.2 billion Peshawar to Karachi Railway line project, Main Line-1 (ML-1), according to a news source. The decision was taken in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)’s 7th Joint Coordination Committee.
The project will be completed in phases in four years, while development will be initiated in the next three months. ML-1 will reduced the travelling distance from Peshawar to Karachi and Landi Kotal by half by increasing the speed from 80 kilometres per hour to 160 kilometres per hour. Reportedly, China will provide soft loans for the project, while financing details will be finalised by March this year.