Committee Reviews Preparations To Run `Azadi Train' On Independence Day

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21th july, 2016) : The Coordination Committee on Azadi Train, in its first meeting held on Thursday, reviewed arrangements for running the train across the country to showcase various aspects of the Independence Day and cultural colours of the motherland.

The Coordination Committee was set up at a high level meeting held in first week of this month to review arrangements of Azadi Train in connection with the Independence Day celebrations.

The committee is headed by Secretary Railways Board, Aftab Akbar who chaired its meeting. The meeting was briefed by Secretary Railways board that Azadi Train will contain coaches representing the culture and traditions of all the four provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. The Azadi Train will start its journey a couple of days before August 14 and cover about four thousand kilometres long journey within a month which would be culminated in Karachi.

The train will stop at all the big stations for three to four hours where musical programmes and cultural dances by the artists would be organized by Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) and Lok Virsa for entertaining the public participating in Independence Day celebrations. The artists of PNCA would also hold puppet show on national themes as part of the Independence Day programmes, the committee members said.

Two coaches of the Azadi Train will be reserved for Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) which would highlight sacrifices of the war heroes and pay tributes to the Armed Forces for their services for the nation.

Another coach will highlight different aspects of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. Radio Pakistan has already composed two new songs which would be played on the occasion of the Independence Day.

The main objectives for running Azadi Train are to highlight the aspects of Freedom Movement, sacrifices of Armed Forces for the defense of the country and culture and heritage of all the regions. The operational cost for running Azadi Train will be borne by Ministry of Railways. The meeting was attended by senior officials of Pakistan Railways Board, Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage and other officials of the attached departments the Ministry of Information. Director General Internal Publicity, Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, Nasir Jamal on the occasion assured the Secretary Railway Board that the Ministry would provide full media coverage to the Azadi Train. Senior official of Pakistan Television, Associated Press of Pakistan and Radio Pakistan on the occasion briefed about their plans for ensuring proper coverage of the Azadi Train.