Lawmakers in the Senate Standing Committee on Railways on Monday reviewed sweeping modernisation plans for Pakistan Railways, including the upgrade of historic tracks and a public-private partnership plan for Main Line 2.
The proposed ML-2 project will expand the rail network by 1,254 kilometres and is designed to improve connectivity across Sindh through the Kotri-Dadu, Dadu-Larkana and Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas links.
The committee urged the Ministry of Railways to finalise a memorandum of understanding with the Sindh government at the earliest.
It also directed the railways minister to personally visit Dadu Railway Station, which was built in 1890 and has a one-kilometre platform, so that further deterioration can be prevented.
The committee further instructed the ministry to prioritise the restoration of railway bridges damaged by recent heavy rainfall and flooding.
The meeting was held at Parliament House in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Senator Shahadat Awan.
During the session, the committee reviewed operational, financial and administrative matters related to Pakistan Railways and formally welcomed newly inducted member Senator Bushra Anjum Butt.
Members also examined compliance with earlier recommendations made in meetings held on February 25, 2026, and May 11, 2026.
A major part of the discussion focused on commercial assets and land management.
When asked about 53 petrol pumps on railway property, officials said the process remains in line with Public Procurement Regulatory Authority rules and prescribed standards.
Officials said the rental rate was revised to 10 percent from 8 percent after a policy update in 2023. However, the committee said the rent policy must comply with the law and directed that commercial rents be re-evaluated accordingly.
The committee also reviewed pending inquiries with the National Accountability Bureau and the Federal Investigation Agency dating back to 2021.
Expressing concern over the delays, members directed the ministry and railway officials to carry out internal departmental inquiries, fix responsibility, identify the individuals named in the reports and keep the committee updated.
On HSD theft, officials said theft had been brought to zero because fuel is now directly injected into train engines.
However, the committee expressed displeasure over incomplete and misleading reports submitted between July 21, 2025, and July 26, 2026. It ordered a 15-day investigation into the officers responsible.
The committee also noted progress in anti-encroachment efforts, saying 376 acres of land had been recovered from illegal occupation out of a targeted 13,000-plus acres. It directed the chairman and the ministry to speed up the drive and submit a detailed report within two months.
Members then discussed a long-pending compensation case for affected people under Case No. 1/2018 and expressed dissatisfaction over delayed coordination with the Finance Division.
The committee directed the authorities to develop legally sound solutions in line with court orders and ensure fair and timely compensation for all affected parties.
The railways minister assured the committee that future operations would be strictly transparent and said neither the department nor any individual would be allowed to lease railway land arbitrarily. He said all transactions would follow the law.
The meeting was attended by Senators Dost Ali Jeesa, Bushra Anjum Butt, the railways minister and senior officials from the relevant departments.
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