Transport and Telecommunications in Pakistan

• The text discusses transport and telecommunications in Pakistan.

Means of Transport

• Roads are the most popular transport method, accounting for 82% of passenger traffic and 54% of freight.
• Pakistan's road network spans approximately 181,836 km (as of 1998-99), with 118,194 km being off-metalled.
• Road density is highest in the Punjab plains and along the Indus River in Sindh, and lowest in Balochistan due to terrain, lack of development and low population.
• Rail, air and water are other key modes of transport

Advantages of Roads:

• Affordability for short distances.
• Speed for shorter distances, boosting efficiency.
• Door-to-door delivery reduces difficulty and saves time.
• Flexibility for transporting smaller quantities to most regions.
• Availability around the clock, independent of flight or rail schedules.

Disadvantages of Roads:

• High cost for long distances and heavy loads, increasing production costs.
• Slowness over long distances, making it more time-consuming.
• Susceptibility to topography, limiting roads in mountainous terrain.
• Vulnerability to climate and weather, causing landslides and snowfall.
• Efficiency reduction due to traffic congestion.
• Contribution to pollution, impacting health and scenic beauty.

Motorways

• They reduce traffic congestion.
• They attract investors, which would in turn increase production
• They increase job opportunities and improve living standards.
• They can link to Central Asian states, boosting international trade.

Disadvantages of Motorways

• They have a high investment cost.
• The money could be used elsewhere.
• They increase debt through maintenance costs.
• They primarily connect larger centers, which marginalizes small towns.

Major Roads of Pakistan:

• Grand Trunk Road (G.T Road) / National Highway-5 (N-5):
  • Stretches for 1260 km.
  • Built by Sher Shah Suri.
  • Links Kabul, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Lahore, Delhi, and Bengal.
  • In Sindh, it runs along the eastern side of the Indus River through Hyderabad and Sukkur.
  • In Punjab, it passes through Bahawalpur and Multan running parallel to the Ravi River before reaching Lahore.
  • From Lahore, heads north crossing the Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum rivers on the way to Rawalpindi.
  • From Pindi, heads west, crossing the Indus River near Attock.
  • Ends at Turkham, on the Pakistan/Afghanistan border.
• Indus Highway:
  • It stretches for 1204 km.
  • Serves cities on the western side of the Indus River: Dadu, Larkana, Shikarpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Dera Ismail Khan.
  • From D.I. Khan, heads to Peshawar via Kohat.
  • Provides a shorter and more direct route from Karachi to Peshawar compared to the G.T. Road.
• RCD Highway:
  • Stretches for 600 km.
  • Connects Karachi and Quetta.
  • Goes though Lasbela, Khuzdar, Quetta, Nushki, Nokkundi in Pakistan and heads to Iran and Turkey.
• Karakoram Highway (N-35):
  • Extends for 1300 km.
  • Runs from Hassan Abdal through Abbottabad, Mansehra, Bisham, Dasu, Chilas, Gilgit, Hunza.
  • It ends at Kashghar in China, leaving the Khanjarab Pass (China border) on the Pakistan end.
  • Connects Gilgit-Baltistan with Xinjiang province.
  • Known as the "8th wonder of the world" due to its high altitude and harsh construction conditions.
  • Also called Asian Highway AH4.

Difficulties in Desert Road Construction:

• Sandy terrain creating challenges for construction.
• Harsh climate making work difficult and causing dehydration.
• Low population density making it difficult to find local labor.
• Reduced government interest due to low population density and contribution.
• Lack of security.

Pakistan Motorways:

• There are 13 divisions of motorways in Pakistan, out of which 9 have been completed and are operational.
  • M-1: Peshawar-Islamabad (155 km)
  • M-2: Lahore-Islamabad (334 km)
  • M-3: Lahore-Abdul Hakeem (230 km)
  • M-4: Pindi Bhattian-Multan (309 km)
  • M-5: Multan-Sukkur (392 km)
  • M-9: Hyderabad-Karachi (136 km)
  • M-10: Karachi Northern Bypass (57 km)
  • M-11: Lahore-Sialkot (103 km)
  • M-15: Hassan Abdal - Thakot (180 km)

Roads Connecting Foreign Countries:

• Koh-i-Taftan with Iran via the RCD Highway.
• Khyber Pass with Afghanistan via the G.T. Road.
• Chamman Pass with Afghanistan via Quetta to Kandahar.
• Khunjerab Pass with China via the Karakorum Highway.
• Lahore-Amritsar with India via the G.T. Road.

Pakistan Railways:

• In 1999, Pakistan had 11,899 km of rail track, which has now decreased to 7800 km.
• Multi-gauge system:
  • Broad gauge: 11,344 km
  • Metre gauge: 555 km
  • Narrow gauge: 726 km (now closed)
• Railways mainly exist at the foothills of the mountains such as Peshawar, Kohat, and Bannu.

Advantages of Railways:

• Low production cost over long distances.
• More efficient over long distances
• Effective for transporting bulky items.
• Separate tracks prevent traffic interference.
• Environmentally friendly through reduced pollution.

Disadvantages of Railways:

• Time-consuming and difficult loading/unloading process.
• Limited accessibility to mountainous areas.
• Inflexible schedules.
• Lower profit margins for short distances and small quantities.

Comparison of Rail and Road Networks:

• Road: Easier build, allows industries to be built along the routes and stop at stations.
• Roads: More suitable for short distances, carrying perishable goods, and offer short-term returns on investment.
• Rail: Difficult build, stops only at stations, suitable for stopping at long distances.
• Rail: Carry bulky, low-value goods; provide long-term returns on investment.

Historic Development in Pakistan:

• Diesel engines have replaced steam engines.
• Faster trains like the Shalimar Express have been introduced.
• Electric traction introduced between Lahore and Khanewal.

Existing Developments in Pakistan Railways:

• Gawadar to Mastung track for the CPEC project.
• Karakorum Express: 200 million dollar investment from EXIM Bank of China.
• Computerized Ticketing system.

Reasons for More Freight via Roads:

• More roads compared to railway tracks.
• More vehicles than rails.
• Door-to-door service availability.

Challenges in Balochistan:

• Low population density.
• Terrain.
• Extreme climate conditions.
• Scattered population.
• Economic backwardness.
• Political instability.

Reasons for Declining Railways:

• Shortage of passenger coaches and freight wagons.
• Lack of locomotives.
• Political instability.
• Government neglect.

Improving Railways:

• Private investment.
• Establishing Repair workshops.
• Constructing dual tracks.
• Reactivating Karachi Circular Railways.

Dry Ports:

• Inland cities establish dry ports to promote foreign trade.
• Processes involve checking, clearance, temporary storage, and transportation to seaports for export.

Objectives of Dry Ports:

• Reduce burden on seaports.
• Speed up checking and clearance of cargo.
• Ensure smooth revenue collection.
• Reduce exporter/importer pressure by providing hassel-free transport
• Encourage foreign trade.
• Enhance containerization.

Dry port requirements:

• Rail and road network.
• Container facilities.
• Staff.
• Storage.
• Refrigeration for perishable items.*

Air Transport:

• It is reliable and quick.
• Key cities (Peshawar, Lahore, Karachi, Multan, and Islamabad) are linked.

Historical Air Transport Developments:

• Orient Airways operated after independence.
• Three companies (Pakistan Airways, Orient Airways, Crescent Airways) operated by 1949.
• Orient Airways merged into Pakistan Airways to form Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) after 1955.

Air Transport: Present Situation:

• Covers 55 international and 37 domestic destinations.
• The CAA manages civil aviation.
• 70,000 Domestic Flights and 90,000 International Flights

Major Airports:

• Jinnah International Airport (Karachi)
• Allama Iqbal International Airport (Lahore)
• Benazir Bhutto International Airport (Islamabad)
• Peshawar International Airport (Peshawar)
• Quetta International Airport (Quetta)
• Faisalabad International Airport (Faisalabad)
• Multan International Airport (Multan)
• Sialkot International Airport (Sialkot)
• Dera Ghazi Khan International Airport (Dera Ghazi Khan)
• Gawadar International Airport (Gawadar)
• Sheikh Zayed International Airport (Rahim Yar Khan)

Advantages of Air Transport:

• Comfort, Fast, Safe
• Saves Times

Additional Air Transport Advantages:

• Suitable for transporting lightweight/ high value goods.
• Provides access to mountainous regions (Islamabad to Skardu).
• Promotes tourism..

Disadvantages of Air Transport:

• High Costs
• No door-to-door Service.
• Weather Dependency (Flights are often delayed).
• Costly Fueling

Air Transport: Requirements

• Abundant Land.
• Capital for Lounge, Car Park, Control Tower.
• Infrastructure
• Near Urban Areas

Popularity factors of Air transport

• Fast, Comfortable
• Improves Accessibility
• Standard Of LIving
• External.

Two Views on Improving Aviation.

• A: Improve runways in Karachi
• B: Improve Airports in Cities such as Sialkot

Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC):

• Established in 1979.
• Promotes for shipping and water transport..

Air Transport: View A positives:

• Large Demand.
• International companies want larger cities.
• Airport costs less.
• Closer to PIA.
• Better management

Water Transport Seaports:

• Essential to handling bulk goods
• Kemari Port (Karachi Port):
  • Located west of the Indus Delta, Karachi; handles 60% of Pakistan's cargo. Port Qasim:
  • 20km southeast of Karachi
  • 30 % of Cargo Gawadar Port:
  • Makran Coast.

Telecommunications

• Transmitting images, sounds, and data like through radio, Tv and Mobile Phone Communications

Internet

• One click Access

Mobile Phone

• Send and receive messages

Important Pakistan Telecommunications

• Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL)
• Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC)
• Pakistan Television Corporation (PTC)
• Pakistan Post Office (PPO)

Telecommunications: Regarding Education:

• TV programs
• Teacher Training

Educational Telecommunication.

• Software
• Multimedia
• Workshops
• Institutions

Telecommunications: Industry

• Market Access
• Speedy Information
• Publicity
• Transactions

Problems with Developing Communications:

• Job Losses
• Dependency
• Old Workers.
• System Losses.
• Hacking, Software