A high-level meeting on Pakistan Railways, chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, was held at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad on Saturday to review progress on modernisation and revenue reforms. Officials briefed the prime minister on new development plans aimed at upgrading infrastructure, improving services, and expanding the revenue base of Pakistan Railways.
PM Shehbaz said railways form the backbone of national economic and communication networks. He praised Railway Minister Hanif Abbasi and his team for rehabilitation efforts and directed the ministry to hire international legal and economic experts for regional connectivity projects. He also instructed that the Public-Private Partnership model be adopted for land and property management.
Officials reported that seven digital portals under the RABTA platform are functional, with 56 trains and 54 stations digitised. Free Wi-Fi has been launched in major cities, and will be expanded to 48 stations by year-end. New digital weighing bridges, AI surveillance cameras, and online freight booking have also been introduced.
The meeting was informed that major outsourcing initiatives—covering passenger trains, cargo services, goods vans, hospitals, and educational institutions—are expected to generate significant revenue. Work is also advancing on ML-1, ML-3, Thar connectivity, and regional rail links with Iran, Turkey, and Central Asia.
