Railway News / Discussion

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Govt unveils sweeping rail reforms​

Rohri-Karachi, Lahore-Pindi sections upgrade and system digitisation on the cards

Our Correspondent
July 28, 2025

LAHORE: The government on Sunday outlined major reforms for Pakistan Railways, including an imminent agreement on the RohriKarachi section, a Rs50 billion allocation to upgrade the LahoreRawalpindi track, reducing travel time to two hours and the digitisation of the railway system.

The development came as Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi addressed the "Meet the Press" event at the Lahore Press Club.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister announced "sweeping reforms" to modernise the sector, highlighting improvements such as outsourcing cleaning services at seven stations across Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Lahore, enhancing food quality, and installing free Wi-Fi at Lahore Railway Station.

He highlighted key infrastructure upgrades, including a soon-to-be-finalised agreement for the RohriKarachi railway section and a Rs50 billion allocation by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to upgrade the Lahore-Rawalpindi track, reducing travel time to two hours.

Escalators and information desks have been introduced at stations, and a 105-kilometer railway track for coal transport is set to be completed by April 30, reducing electricity costs from Rs15 to Rs4.5 per unit. Additionally, a business train with Wi-Fi-equipped coaches and high-quality dining will be inaugurated on July 29 by PM Shehbaz Sharif.

The minister announced plans to digitise the railway system, link sixteen banks to the railways app, and install ATMs at 348 stations. To address inefficiencies, three railway companies have been shut down, and long-leave employees would be recalled.

"Pakistan Railways is the pride of Pakistan," Abbasi declared, promising to make it profitable if the federal government covers pensions and salaries. He stressed that the railways issues stem not from labourers but from unnamed individuals who looted the system.

He emphasised the need for investment in railways to boost the national economy, warning that major reforms are imminent and bureaucratic inefficiencies will not be tolerated.

Addressing employment concerns, Abbasi revealed a compassionate approach to contract workers. "We could dismiss contract employees with a one-month salary, but instead, we are considering reassigning railway sanitation staff to their local areas," he shared, signaling a commitment to employee welfare.

The "Suthra Punjab" initiative will be extended to Railway colonies, aiming to enhance living conditions for staff and their families. Abbasi also claimed unprecedented improvements in cleanliness across the railway system, stating, "The level of cleanliness we have now achieved in Railways has never been seen before."

Cracking down on illegal activities, Abbasi issued a stern warning against ticketless travel and related offenses. "Smuggling and theft used to plague Railways. Now, anyone traveling without a ticket or aiding such activities will face imprisonment," he cautioned.

To bolster security, Pakistan Railways has recruited 500 new personnel for the Railway Police and plans to acquire scanners and metal detectors using the department's own budget.

 

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ADB to back Pakistan rail upgrade as China financing stalls, sources say​

Asian Development Bank in advanced talks to lead financing of $2bn upgrade of 500-km stretch of railway line from Karachi to Rohri

Reuters
August 22, 2025

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will fund upgrades to part of Pakistan’s creaking railway system, replacing China, after prolonged delays in securing financing from Beijing threatened to put a strain on a strategic mining project, two sources said on Friday.

An extensive revamp of 1,800 km (1,118 miles) of railways has been the centrepiece of a $60 billion Chinese investment programme in Pakistan announced in 2015 as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative global infrastructure push.

A decade of negotiations, however, have yet to produce a finance package for the rail upgrades - the single biggest project under the programme with China. And Pakistan is, meanwhile, struggling to repay Chinese debt owed for other projects.

The ADB is in advanced talks to lead the financing of a $2 billion upgrade of a 500-km stretch of the railway line from Karachi to Rohri in the country’s south that had previously been part of the Chinese project, two sources with direct knowledge of the discussions told Reuters.

The upgrade has become urgent, they said, as it is needed to transport copper ore from the Reko Diq mine currently being developed by Canada’s Barrick Mining Corp.

“We will have a crisis. How will you evacuate output from Reko Diq? The exhausted line will come under even more pressure,” one of the sources, a senior government official, said.

 

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The ADB would not confirm the finance package, which is being reported for the first time by Reuters. But it said Pakistan’s government and the regional lender “have regular discussions on railway sector development”.

“Any potential ADB assistance would be subject to comprehensive due diligence and consideration under ADB’s policies and procedures before any commitment is made,” it wrote in a statement to Reuters.

The deal, expected to be announced later this month, would see the ADB lead a consortium to finance the project and bring in an international engineering contractor to carry out the work through a competitive bidding process, the sources said.

The ADB announced $410 million in financing for the Reko Diq mine itself earlier this week. And its president is due to visit Islamabad next week, the sources said.

China and Pakistan: ‘ironclad friends’?

The sources said the plan is diplomatically tricky but has been squared with China.

“We would never do anything to jeopardise that relationship,” the senior Pakistani official said.

China rolled out major power and infrastructure projects after the 2015 launch of the investment programme, known locally as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. But momentum has stalled, with the last big project - the Gwadar East Bay Expressway - inaugurated in 2022.

Islamabad has fallen behind on payments for electricity generated by Chinese-built power plants. And following agovernment report looking at the cost of the power stations, Islamabad has for the past year sought to reschedule debt payments for the plants.

“China and Pakistan are ironclad friends and all-weather strategic cooperative partners,” China’s foreign ministry said on August 19, ahead of a visit by Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Islamabad this week.

In Wang’s meeting with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday, both sides said they sought to deepen ties and move on to the next phase of CPEC.

 

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Pakistan’s mining ambitions

The Reko Diq copper and gold mine - at the heart of the government’s strategy to attract investment to Pakistan’s mining sector - is due to enter production in 2028 with anticipated annual output of some 200,000 metric ton of copper concentrate.

One of the world’s largest untapped copper deposits, it is Pakistan’s largest foreign investment in recent years.

The ADB-financed rail upgrade would modernise the track and bridges from the commercial capital Karachi north to Rohri, close to the city of Sukkur, so that diesel trains can run faster, the sources said.

In Rohri, the line will meet a branch coming from the area of the Reko Diq mine and will carry the copper concentrate to port.

Tim Cribb, Reko Diq’s project director, told Reuters that the government and Barrick would work together on securing financing for the upgrading of the branch coming from the west to Rohri.

The mine also faces security concerns, as it lies in the insurgency-hit western province of Balochistan, with militants frequently targeting the rail network.

 

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Karachi-Rohri rail track upgrade, solarisation of stations announced​

Recorder Report
September 6, 2025



KARACHI: Pakistan Railways is moving ahead with infrastructure and modernization initiatives, including the upgradation of the 480 km Karachi–Rohri track, which will reduce travel time by four hours, and the full solarization of 27 stations in the Karachi Division by December 31, Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi announced.

Minister Abbasi also revealed that two additional goods trains will be introduced by September 30, and the installation of direct meters in railway colonies will be completed by the end of the year.

The Minister emphasized a zero-tolerance policy against fare evasion and warned of strict penalties for negligence in train operations, including power unit failures after departure. He urged divisional mechanical engineers to ensure locomotives are fully operational and stressed the importance of effective maintenance of the signalling system.

 

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NLC, DP World ink $400m deal with Pakistan Railways for dedicated freight corridor​

BR Web Desk
September 10, 2025




The National Logistics Corporation (NLC) and DP World on Wednesday signed a commercial agreement with Pakistan Railways for the construction of Phase-1 of the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) at Pipri, according to a press release.

Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi witnessed the signing ceremony, which was also attended by senior officials from NLC, DP World, the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), and Pakistan Railways.

The project, involving foreign direct investment of around $400 million, aims to significantly boost Pakistan Railways’ freight-handling capacity by enabling faster movement of cargo to and from Karachi Port, while easing congestion on roads and at the port terminals.

Speaking on the occasion, Abbasi said the initiative would not only modernise freight transportation but also strengthen Pakistan Railways’ revenue streams through freight charges, track access fees, and revenue-sharing arrangements.

He thanked NLC, DP World, and the Government of the UAE for their support, calling the venture a milestone that signals “a new era for Pakistan Railways.”

 

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The railways secretary had earlier said that the sea freight arriving at Karachi Port was mainly being disposed of inland through road transport due to poor rail connectivity.

However, he had said, over the past few years the Ministry of Railways encouraged investment on Built Operate and Transfer (BoT) mode for establishing a new rail link from Karachi Port to Marshalling Yard Pipri which would not only greatly reduce the congestion on roads but will also enable quick unloading of ships as well as speedy evacuation of freight from port area.

“The freight will be transported to Pipri Yard and then transported up-country through rail network,” he had said.

In January 2024, the governments of Dubai and Pakistan signed framework agreements on developing an economic zone at Port Qasim and dredging its navigation channel.

The agreements spanned the creation of a dedicated freight corridor between Karachi Port to the Pipri Marshalling Yard 45km away, capital dredging of the navigation channel to Port Qasim and the potential development of an economic zone at Port Qasim to attract foreign direct investment.

In executing the projects, DP World will act on behalf of the Dubai government, and Pakistan Railways and Port Qasim Authority will act on behalf of the Pakistan government.

The NLC and DP World are already engaged in global logistic activities as recently both the companies have shipped over 1,000 containers between Pakistan and Bangladesh since launching the first direct shipping route between the two countries in October.

 

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Islamabad, Rawalpindi to get high-speed rail link​

Initiative aims to save fuel and time, ease traffic pressure on roads, offer affordable commute

Our Correspondent
September 15, 2025

PHOTO: FILE

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The federal government has approved a modern high-speed rail project that will connect Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The project, after completion, will reduce travel time between the twin cities to just 20 minutes.

The initiative, besides reducing travel time, will also bring fuel consumption down, ease traffic congestion and provide people with a fast and affordable transportation option.

The decision was made during a high-level meeting on Monday chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi.

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, along with senior officials including the Federal Interior Secretary, Secretary of Railways, Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Rawalpindi Commissioner, Islamabad Police Inspector General and Frontier Corps representatives also attended the meeting.

The framework agreement for the project will be finalised and signed next week. Under the plan, the Ministry of Railways will provide the track infrastructure while the CDA will manage the service.

The government also decided to import state-of-the-art trains to ensure modern, comfortable and efficient operations.

 

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Reko Diq: Govt earmarks $390m for rail tracks from Balochistan mines​

Tahir Sherani
September 18, 2025

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb chairs a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee in Islamabad on September 18. — Finance Division

The federal government agreed to provide $390 million to the Reko Diq mining project to build rail tracks from mines in Balochistan, according to the Finance Division on Thursday.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) in Islamabad, chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, according to a press release from the Finance Division.

The press release stated that the railways ministry submitted a summary on rail development and bridge financing agreements with the Reko Diq Mining Company, to provide $390m for laying a 1,350-kilometre railway track to transport large volumes of export material from mines in Balochistan.

“The ECC approved the proposal and directed the Ministry of Railways to share both agreement documents with the Finance Division for appraisal,” the press release read.

“It further instructed the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Finance to submit an update to the ECC by March next year on the execution and implementation of the project.”

Additionally, the ECC reviewed a summary from the petroleum ministry regarding approvals for agreements and financial commitments to fund the Reko Diq project, the press release read.

The ECC approved the proposed final terms of the agreements, with instructions that any material deviations in the final execution forms, determined by the project’s legal and financial consultants and certified by the mining company, would be brought back to the committee for approval.

According to the press release, Aurangzeb said, “The ECC’s approvals signify the government’s firm commitment to moving ahead with this landmark project, which has the potential to transform the economic landscape of Balochistan and generate far-reaching benefits for the people of Pakistan.

“The Reko Diq project will not only unlock one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits but also catalyse job creation, infrastructure development, and long-term socio-economic uplift across the region.”

In March this year, a formal feasibility study confirmed more than $60 billion worth of copper and gold reserves at the Reko Diq copper mine at prevailing prices, prompting state-owned Oil and Gas Development Company, Pakistan Petroleum Ltd and Government Holdings (Pvt) Ltd to increase funding commitments to the mining company to $1.9bn.

In August, Reuters reported that the Asian Development Bank would provide a $410m financing package to help develop Pakistan’s Reko Diq copper mine, which Barrick Gold, a global gold mining company, would operate.

 

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ML-I

Iqbal said that China and Pakistan agreed to proceed with the ML-1 project through multilateral financing by the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. The ADB has already sent its team for field surveys.

Pakistan and China also agreed to advance the upgrading and reconstruction project of Pakistan's Main Line 1 (ML1) in phases on the premise of ensuring safety.

The two sides had discussed the financing terms of the ML1 project on multiple occasions, agreed to accelerate the research on the financing plan for the test section (Karachi - Hyderabad) and the subsequent consultations, and initiated the bidding and construction process after reaching an agreement on the financing plan.

"I wish to reemphasize the urgency we have agreed upon for the ML-I project and the realignment, necessitated by major hydropower dams, will preserve uninterrupted connectivity between our nations and the early implementation of both projects will yield far-reaching economic and strategic dividends for the entire region," said Iqbal in his closing remarks.

 

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Karachi Cantt Station gets makeover as PM Shehbaz inaugurates upgrades​

Two new CIP lounges, three spacious waiting halls have been added among other facilities

Web Desk
November 17, 2025

Photos: facebook.com/pakrailography/

One of Pakistan’s busiest railway stations has just been given the kind of facelift passengers have been waiting for. Karachi Cantt Station — the heart of the city’s rail network — has been upgraded with a fresh set of modern, passenger-friendly facilities, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugrated them on Monday.

Walk into the station now and the changes are hard to miss. Two new CIP lounges and three bright, spacious waiting halls have been added to make travel a little less stressful, while executive-level washrooms aim to bring some much-needed comfort to long-distance journeys. Four newly installed escalators are already making it easier for families, the elderly and travellers with luggage to move around the station.

Passengers can now access the new CIP lounges at Karachi Cantt Station, where for just Rs300 they can sit comfortably and enjoy tea, snacks and other refreshments. Each passenger is allowed to use the lounge facilities for up to three hours.

To help passengers navigate the hustle, information desks have been redesigned to meet modern standards. Perhaps the most striking change is the digital complaint system — travellers can now scan a QR code and file complaints directly from their phones. Those reports go straight to the Railways Ministry and headquarters, cutting through layers of bureaucracy and promising faster responses.

 

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