KARACHI: The congested roads and outdated railway networks in Karachi are slowing the movement of goods to and from the port, underscoring the need for Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) to maintain the city's competitive edge, according to Pasban Democratic Party Chairman Altaf Shakoor. He emphasized that Karachi, as Pakistan's commercial capital and the gateway for most of the country's international trade, requires a modern and efficient freight transport system.
According to the Pasban Democratic Party, the current reliance on congested urban roads shared with passenger traffic leads to delays, traffic congestion, road deterioration, accidents, environmental pollution, and high logistics costs, imposing a significant burden on the national economy. As Pakistan aims to expand exports, strengthen industries, and improve regional connectivity, Shakoor highlighted the necessity of making DFCs a national infrastructure priority. Without these corridors, he argued, the full economic potential of Pakistan's ports and industrial investments cannot be realized.
Shakoor proposed a long-term strategy for developing an integrated network of rail- and road-based dedicated freight corridors linking Karachi Port and Port Qasim with various industrial estates and economic zones. By separating heavy freight traffic from passenger traffic, he noted, Pakistan could reduce transport costs, shorten transit times, improve road safety, lower fuel consumption and emissions, and enhance the competitiveness of its exports.
He praised the ongoing construction of a dedicated rail freight corridor from Karachi Port to Pipri Marshalling Yard as a significant step towards modernizing Pakistan's freight transport system. Shakoor urged stakeholders to support this initiative and ensure its timely completion, suggesting that it should be the first phase of a broader national program for developing dedicated freight rail corridors across Pakistan.
Drawing lessons from India, Shakoor stated that sustained investment in dedicated freight infrastructure is essential for long-term economic competitiveness. He urged the Government of Pakistan to develop a National Dedicated Freight Corridor Master Plan, integrating road- and rail-based corridors with key economic zones and the national transport network. Such a plan, he asserted, would provide a long-term framework for phased investment and ensure that freight infrastructure keeps pace with Pakistan's growing trade ambitions.
Shakoor also noted that dedicated freight corridors are strategic economic infrastructure, crucial for strengthening supply chains, reducing business costs, attracting investment, creating employment, and promoting industrial growth. He called for redesigning faulty sections of the Lyari Expressway to serve as a mixed corridor for light and heavy traffic, further enhancing Karachi's role as Pakistan's commercial gateway and supporting sustainable economic growth.