Legal department of railways’ working slammed: Senate panel directs ministry to give travel concessions to journalists

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Railways expressed serious concern over the performance of Pakistan Railways’ legal department, highlighting discrepancies in pending case records, incomplete working papers and failure to provide details of theft, misappropriation and embezzlement cases.

The committee directed the Ministry to improve case monitoring, ensure transparent legal representation and extend prescribed travel concessions to journalists.

The Senate Standing Committee on Railways met here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Senator Shahadat Awan to review compliance with the recommendations made during its meeting held on October 6, 2026, and to receive a briefing from the Ministry on the existing travel concession facility for journalists provided by Pakistan Railways.

The Committee discussed the status of litigation pertaining to the Ministry. The Chairman stressed the need for an efficient and accessible case management system, observing that all relevant case records should be properly uploaded and readily available. Referring to the substantial number of pending cases, he emphasized that the performance of the concerned legal officers should be assessed and that effective measures should be taken to address the backlog.

Responding to the concerns regarding anti-encroachment measures, the Minister stated that no effort had been spared in addressing illegal encroachments and highlighted the efforts made by the entire Pakistan Railways team to improve the department’s performance. He also acknowledged the support and guidance provided by the Standing Committee in facilitating the department’s work.

The Chairman expressed concerns over the discrepancies in the number of cases previously provided to the Committee. Referring to the earlier briefing, he noted that the number of cases had reportedly been fluctuated, with a decrease of reported, 555 cases in the recently provided list. He stressed that such discrepancies required clarification and that cases must not be left unattended.

The Chairman further pointed out that, during the previous meeting, the Committee had specifically sought details regarding theft, misappropriation and embezzlement cases. However, no relevant information regarding the registration of FIRs had been submitted to the Committee.

Senator Kamil Ali Agha emphasized the need for comprehensive and updated information regarding all pending cases. He directed that the Ministry should provide a detailed breakdown of all cases, specifying the number of cases pending before each court, their current status, and the latest position in each category. The Committee stressed that complete and accurate information should be submitted to ensure proper monitoring and follow-up of the pending litigation.

The Chairman expressed serious concern over the performance of Pakistan Railways’ legal department, stating that its internal affairs needed to be properly organized. He observed that the working papers submitted to the Committee were incomplete and stated that such shortcomings reflected either inefficiency or a lack of due diligence. He further noted that the Committee had repeatedly requested the relevant information regarding cases, including matters before the Supreme Court, but the required details had not been provided despite repeated directions. The committee Chairman warned that if the information was not submitted, appropriate action would be followed against the concerned.

The Chairman of the Senate body referred to a list of illegal occupations provided by the IG Railways, in the last meeting. He stated that Barrister Arslan Sheikh (the mayor Sukkur) and Jamil Ahmad Somro (MPA Larkana) had pointed out their reservations regarding the activities of Railways police, stating that they were disturbing the residents of Kacchi Abadi and inhabitants of provincial land which werw not the subject of Railways. He highlighted that there is a need of proper demarcation of the Railway land, so as to take transparent action against real illegal occupants, without disturbing the provincial subjects to avoid unnecessary litigation in between province and federal government. He further stated that the Minister and Chairman Railways may approach the mayor Sukkur and MPA Larkana in this regard if needed. The Chairman expressed his expectations that the Ministry shall strictly follow the legal parameters in this regard.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026