Lahore, 26 October (IANS). Pakistan's first intercity bullet train service Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) was inaugurated in Lahore on Sunday at two separate celebrations organized by the government and the opposition party. This happened because both the ruling and opposition parties are giving credit for its establishment.
Opposition party Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) held the first inauguration ceremony at Anarkali station in Lahore, where a large number of party members and supporters were present to witness the ribbon cutting ceremony.
On the other hand, Punjab Province Chief Minister Osman Bujdar also inaugurated the project in a separate ceremony, as both parties have claimed ownership of the project.
The Punjab Province Chief Minister said, the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) is the culmination of the Pakistan-China friendship, which began along the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Buzdar said, this is the first transport project under CPEC and a gift to the people of Lahore. The Punjab government welcomes all development projects that can be done with joint ventures.
On the one hand, the ruling provincial government-led ceremony patted its feet for the successful completion of the OLMT, on the other hand, the opposition party PML-N claimed that former Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was the founder of the OLMT project.
Former Railway Minister and senior PML-N leader Khwaja Saad Rafiq questioned the ruling government over the delay in completion of OLMT. He said that the country has suffered billions of rupees due to this.
PML-N leader Ataullah Tarar claimed, PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) has deliberately taken a stay order to prevent Shahbaz Sharif from inaugurating it.
The federal government also did not delay in responding to the opposition's claims. Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Affairs said, CPEC is a project of the people of Pakistan and not of any specific party.
As per the official details of the OLMT, a track spanning 27.12 km has been setup with at least 26 stations. At least 250,000 passengers will travel daily through the country's first electric-powered public transport.
AKK / JNS
