Railway News / Discussion

ML-1 railway survey begins on Karachi-Rohri section​

By Tahir Ali | Gwadar Pro
Apr 11, 2026

ISLAMABAD, - A field survey for the upgrade of Pakistan’s Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway project has commenced on the Karachi-Rohri section, Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi said on Friday.

The minister described the survey as a critical phase in the modernisation of the country’s national rail infrastructure.

Teams from the National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK) are currently conducting detailed assessments of land, crops, trees, and existing structures along the route. Abbasi said this data would ensure a transparent compensation process for project-affected persons.

"The public is requested to fully cooperate with the survey teams and utilise the provided contact numbers to lodge any complaints with the project directors in Karachi and Sukkur," the minister said in a statement.

The ML-1 project is expected to increase train speeds, enhance passenger facilities, and provide a stimulus to the national economy, he added.

The project reached a policy milestone in October 2025 when the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) referred the preliminary designs and the 16.26 billion rupee ($58 million) Havelian Dry Port project to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for final approval.

The upgrades are being executed under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
 
are there any planned upgrades for passenger cabin's interiors?
They look terrible to say the least.
 

Work on $2bn Karachi-Rohri rail line to begin in September: minister Hanif Abbasi​

APP
April 21, 2026

• Project aimed at modernising ageing rail infrastructure on 480km mainline

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi on Monday announced that work on the 480-kilometre-long Karachi-Rohri track will start in September with an estimated cost of two billion dollars.

Elaborating on measures for improvement of the Karachi-Rohri section of the main double line, the minister said that it was the most difficult track built in the 1860s.

He added that the prime minister had decided the 480-km-long Karachi-Rohri track will be rejuvenated with an estimated cost of $2bn, and the foundation stone of the project was expected to be laid in September this year.
 
Regional rail connectivity, the minister said that Pakistan was going to start development of a railway track connecting Central Asia and Europe via Iran soon.

“The work on the 900-km-long Rohri-Naukundi section has already been initiated on the directives of the Prime Minister, and the tendering process for laying a new railway track on the 87-km-Naukundi-Taftan section has been started”, he said.

Responding to another query, he said that a project to connect Thar Coal with the railway line was underway, and the track from Islamkot to Chhor is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The federal minister also elaborated on various measures for improvement of railway stations, platforms and other facilities, and informed that the process of complete digitisation of Pakistan Railways (PR) was underway and it will be completed within a month.

He said that the PR and Punjab government had inked an agreement to modernise and expand rail services across the province.
 

Railway line project from Gwadar to Jacobabad begins on May 4​

By Yasir Habib Khan | Gwadar Pro
May 4, 2026

GWADAR - The land acquisition phase for the railway line project from Gwadar to Jacobabad (connecting Gwadar, Turbat, Panjgur, Basima, Khuzdar, and Jacobabad) has officially begun on May 4.

This development is being viewed in the context of Pakistan’s efforts to open six land routes for the transportation of goods to Iran, including the Gwadar-Gabd route, which is the shortest and expected to reduce transit time by up to 87%. The move aims to provide a secure alternative for third-country goods to reach Iran, especially during times when maritime trade is disrupted

Under the federal government’s Uraan Pakistan Vision, the railway line project from Gwadar to Jacobabad also aims to link Balochistan with inner Sindh through a modern transport network.

Passing through Gwadar, Turbat, Panjgur, Basima, and Khuzdar, the project is expected to play a significant role in the national economy. According to railway authorities, the project will cost approximately Rs15.5 billion and was approved in November 2024.
 

$390m Reko Diq bridge loan for ML-3​

Khaleeq Kiani
June 29, 2026

• 996-km project will upgrade Rohri-Sibi-Quetta-Koh-i-Taftan rail line to support transportation from Reko Diq copper and gold project
• Officials say upgraded corridor will boost mineral exports, strengthen regional connectivity with Iran and Turkiye, improve access to Gwadar Port

ISLAMABAD: Owing to financial constraints, Pakistan Railways’ 996-kilometre Main Line-3 (ML-3) project covering the Rohri-Sibi-Quetta-Koh-i-Taftan section, estimated to cost about Rs280 billion, will be financed through a special $390 million (over Rs112bn) bridge loan from Reko Diq Mining Company (RDMC), repayable in a lump-sum (bullet) payment within two years.

The financing arrangement, its foreign exchange exposure, and the project’s security costs — estimated at around Rs46.38bn, or nearly 17 per cent of the total cost — have come under scrutiny by the Planning Commission. The commission has also raised concerns over inadequate planning for post-completion security.

The $892 million ML-3 upgrade is primarily intended to support transportation linked to the multi-billion-dollar Reko Diq copper and gold project. RDMC is a joint venture in which Canada’s Barrick Gold Corporation holds a 50pc stake, while the remaining 50pc is equally owned by the Balochistan government and three federal state-owned entities — OGDCL, PPL and GHPL.
 
The Planning Commission observed that the bridge financing arrangement, which requires the federal government to repay RDMC in full by June 2028, could create significant fiscal pressure and repayment risks.

According to Pakistan Railways, the Rs278.62 billion project will ultimately be financed through the PSDP, with interim funding provided through RDMC and the federal government. The project includes track renewal, rehabilitation of embankments and bridges, replacement of turnouts, and construction of 11 new railway stations between Spezand and Taftan.

Implementation has been divided into two phases. Phase-I (2026-2030), estimated at $585 million, will focus on critical infrastructure works, while the remaining priority works will be completed during Phase-II (2031-2033) at an estimated cost of $145 million. Security arrangements during construction alone are expected to cost about $162 million.

Project implementation has already begun. A joint venture led by M/s Zeeruk International has been appointed as consultant, while RDMC has agreed to assist Pakistan Railways in procuring critical machinery, equipment and other long-lead items.

Officials said the rehabilitation of the Rohri-Sibi and Quetta-Taftan sections has become essential due to the expected increase in mining activity around Reko Diq. The existing road network is considered incapable of handling the large-scale transportation requirements of the mining project.

The current ML-3 infrastructure is in poor condition, with tracks having long exceeded their useful life. Trains currently operate at restricted speeds of only 10-15 kilometres per hour.
 
The route is also strategically important for regional connectivity, linking Pakistan with Iran and Turkiye, and providing access to markets in Europe and Central Asia.

Officials said the project would generate substantial economic and social benefits by improving mineral exports, creating jobs and strengthening regional trade.

Passenger traffic on the Quetta-Taftan section has virtually ceased because of the deteriorated track condition and safety concerns. The few trains that still operate take nearly 48 hours to complete the journey, compared with about 15 hours by road.

Currently, only one or two freight trains operate each month between Quetta and Taftan. Following rehabilitation and the commencement of Reko Diq operations, freight traffic is expected to increase to eight train sets per month, with additional services connecting Iran and other regional destinations.

Officials also said that linking Nokundi with Gwadar Port would provide a shorter export route for minerals.
 
The current line capacity of only two train pairs between Quetta and Taftan is projected to increase to 26 trains, while operating speeds are expected to rise to 100 kilometres per hour, enabling efficient transportation of Reko Diq’s mineral output to Karachi for export.

The Planning Commission also questioned the project’s financial phasing, noting that only Rs25.87 billion — about 9pc of the total project cost — had been earmarked for the first year of implementation (FY2026-27), despite the project’s seven-year execution period.

“If funding cannot be arranged in time, the project will be delayed, resulting in substantial cost escalation, as witnessed in previous railway projects,” the commission observed.

The commission also questioned the inclusion of Rs46.38 billion in security costs within the project’s development budget.

“Provision of security is not a development activity; however, it has been included in the project cost,” it noted, asking whether the provincial government had been consulted about providing security through local police.
 
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