Hanif Abbasi rejects audit findings, says Pakistan Railways hit Rs115bn revenue target

RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi on Monday dismissed the Auditor General of Pakistan’s report on Pakistan Railways’ revenue losses, saying the department had met its revenue objective of Rs115 billion in the current fiscal year.

Speaking to reporters during the inauguration of newly built running rooms for guards and locomotive pilots at the railway loco shed, the minister said the audit report’s reference to a 19 per cent deficit was incorrect and did not reflect the department’s recent performance. He said he had improved the situation within four months after taking charge in March 2025, in contrast to the previous five years.

Abbasi said operating expenses had been cut by Rs3.6bn over four months, which he described as profit. He also said the federal government provides a Rs63bn pension grant for railway pensioners and added that efforts would be made to ensure that pensions are paid directly by the government in the future.

The minister said Pakistan Railways had not stopped at Rs100bn in revenue and had reached Rs115bn by the last day of the fiscal year. He added that five trains had been outsourced and said no one had been issued free tickets.

Reforms and upgrade plans

Abbasi said a reform process was in progress at Pakistan Railways and that the department was moving toward full digitalisation. He said all trains would be upgraded by June 2027.

On infrastructure projects, the minister said the prime minister is expected to lay the foundation stone in September for the Rohri-to-Karachi section of the ML-1 project. He also said work was under way on ML-3 from Rohri to Zahedan and added that efforts were being made to begin practical work on that scheme during his tenure.

According to the minister, the Economic Coordination Committee has already approved the ML-3 project. He further said railway schools and hospitals were being outsourced under a public-private partnership model, while right-sizing had also been carried out in several departments.

Power vans, station work and fares

Abbasi said power vans had not undergone overhauling for the last 20 years. He said bids for the purchase of 16 new power plants would be opened on Tuesday and added that all power vans would be overhauled by March 23 next year.

He said refurbishment work on four rakes of Awam Express had been completed and that broader upgradation work was already continuing. He also announced that Rawalpindi Railway Station would be upgraded on the pattern of Lahore, with arrangements being made for funding, and said the project is expected to be completed by December.

The minister said passenger and freight fares had not been increased on the prime minister’s instructions. He added that a fall in petroleum prices alone did not make a reduction in fares possible.

Running rooms inaugurated

Earlier, Abbasi inaugurated modern running rooms equipped with air-conditioning, improved accommodation and solar-powered uninterrupted electricity supply for guards and locomotive pilots. He thanked the director general of the Frontier Works Organisation for helping provide what he described as state-of-the-art facilities.

He said such amenities had been provided for the first time in 36 years and added that similar running rooms would also be established in other major cities of the country.