Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired an important meeting on Pakistan Railways at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister was briefed on Pakistan Railways’ modernization projects, revenue sources, and other key matters. Addressing the participants, the Prime Minister said that the railway system serves as the backbone of a country’s economy and connectivity. According to the PM House, he appreciated the steps taken for the revival of the railway system and praised Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi and his team for their efforts in restoring and modernizing Pakistan Railways.
The Prime Minister instructed that international-standard legal and economic experts be engaged particularly for regional connectivity and international railway link projects. He further directed that the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model be adopted for railway properties and land management.
The meeting was given a detailed briefing on improvement measures taken for Pakistan Railways. It was informed that seven digital portals of “RAABTA” are functional; 56 trains have been shifted to the RAABTA system, and 54 railway stations have been digitized. Free Wi-Fi has been provided at Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad railway stations, while 48 more stations will receive free Wi-Fi by 31 December 2025.
The participants were told that the freight online booking system has been launched. A pilot project of a digital weighing bridge has begun at Karachi City Railway Station, which will later be expanded to Pipri, Karachi Cantt, Port Qasim, Lahore, and Rawalpindi stations.
At Rawalpindi station, 148 AI-powered surveillance cameras have been installed. ATM machines are also being installed at railway stations. To improve cleanliness standards, outsourcing has been introduced at stations. High-quality waiting areas have been built at major stations, and information desks have been established for passengers. Food authorities from all four provinces have been granted access to ensure quality of food being sold at railway stations.
The meeting was informed that 4 trains have already been outsourced, and 11 more will be outsourced soon as advertisements have been issued. This outsourcing is expected to generate an additional 8.5 billion rupees in revenue. Forty luggage and brake vans have also been outsourced, expected to bring in 820 million rupees in extra revenue. Two cargo express trains are also being outsourced, expected to add 6.3 billion rupees in revenue.
Outsourcing of railway hospitals in Lahore, Karachi, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, and Sukkur is under way. Outsourcing is also being carried out for railway schools, colleges, and rest houses. The dry ports in Lahore, Islamabad, and Azakhel are also being outsourced. A total of 155 railway stations have been shifted to solar energy.
It was further informed that Railway Constructions Pakistan Limited, Pakistan Railway Freight Transportation Company, and Pakistan Railway Advisory & Consultancy Services have been shut down. Plans are being finalized for the upgradation of Main Line-1’s Karachi–Kotri section and Main Line-3. Work will be coordinated with the Sindh Government on the Thar rail connectivity project. The Islamabad–Tehran–Istanbul train will be launched soon. Initial work is also under way on the Kazakhstan–Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan rail project.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, and senior government officials.
