NA panel asks railways for encroachment report, ML-1 update

ISLAMABAD: A National Assembly committee on Thursday told Pakistan Railways to furnish a detailed account of encroachments on railway land and tracks in different parts of the country, with special attention to Karachi and Hyderabad, while also seeking a fresh update on the ML-1 scheme and a proposed freight corridor linking Pipri with Karachi.

The direction came during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Railways at Parliament House. MNA Ramesh Lal chaired the session in the absence of the committee chairman. Lawmakers reviewed rail safety issues, the status of earlier recommendations and the broader performance of Pakistan Railways.

The committee confirmed the minutes of its Jan 14 meeting and then examined progress on decisions made earlier. Railways officials briefed members on recent accidents, including the Shalimar Express collision at Lakha Road Station in Sukkur Division and the Tezgam Express derailment on the Lodhran-Bahawalpur section. Members were informed about the causes identified in the incidents, the outcome of departmental inquiries and disciplinary steps initiated against officials held responsible.

Revival plan and pending briefing

Officials also presented the restructuring, revival and growth plan for Pakistan Railways. According to the briefing, the plan covers strategic direction, governance arrangements, institutional changes and the implementation approach envisaged for the department.

The committee, however, asked the Ministry of Railways to return at its next meeting with a comprehensive briefing on progress under the restructuring and revival agenda. It also sought updates on the Main Line-1 project and the freight corridor planned from Pipri to Karachi.

The meeting was attended by MNAs Ibrar Ahmed, Waseem Qadir, Muhammad Numan, Sadiq Ali Memon, Dr Mehreen Razzaq Bhutto, Syed Waseem Hussain, Ahmed Saleem Siddiqui and Muhammad Ilyas Choudhary. The secretary of the Ministry of Railways, the secretary of the Pakistan Railways Board, the chief executive officer of Pakistan Railways and other senior ministry and railway officials were also present.

Minister reviews digital projects

Separately, Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi chaired a high-level meeting to assess ongoing digitalisation work in Pakistan Railways and projects planned for the next financial year. The session was attended by the secretary railways, the chief executive officer of Pakistan Railways, members of the IT team and other senior officials.

Participants reviewed progress on current digital initiatives and discussed targets for the coming fiscal year. Speaking at the meeting, Mr Abbasi said Pakistan Railways was moving through an unprecedented technology overhaul in line with the prime minister’s vision.

Officials told the meeting that more than 100 trains were currently available for ticket booking through the Pakistan Railways’ Rabat application. They also said work was advancing on cashless e-ticketing, free Wi-Fi at major stations, a freight management system, rolling stock tracking and other modern services.

The meeting was informed that 60 major railway stations had been digitalised nationwide. Officials also said Railway Helpline 117 was operating around the clock, with trained IT staff available to assist passengers. They added that free Wi-Fi had been introduced at major stations, covering about 70 per cent of passenger traffic so far.

Participants additionally reviewed plans to expand the smart and safe station model to other major railway stations after the inauguration of the Smart and Safe Railway Station in Rawalpindi. The meeting also received a detailed briefing on the e-inspection regime, a modern attendance management system and other administrative reforms.