ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed Pakistan Railways to upgrade freight service, saying rail transport has become essential for conserving fuel in the movement of goods amid the current regional situation.
Chairing a meeting of the Pakistan Railways steering committee, PM emphasised that modernising the railway network to strengthen regional trade and connectivity remains a key national policy priority. He described the rail system as the backbone of Pakistan’s economy and communications infrastructure.
He called for the reconstruction of railway infrastructure across the country on sustainable lines to support national economic and industrial development.
READ MORE: PM directs Railways to increase freight trains
Officials at the meeting gave a detailed briefing on ongoing reforms within Pakistan Railways, noting that freight services are projected to grow by 21 percent this year. They said work is ongoing on the first phase of the Main Line One (ML-1) project, which covers the Karachi-Rohri section and is funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
In this regard, they added, engineering design, environmental impact field surveys, and land acquisition are currently under way. They said the Thar Rail Connectivity project is 57 percent complete, while plans to upgrade the Rohri-Naukundi section of Main Line-III are considered crucial for transporting minerals from Balochistan. A design consultant has been appointed, and the project’s PC-I has been finalized, they added.
They also highlighted ongoing digital initiatives, including the launch of the Raabta application, cashless ticketing, and free Wi-Fi at railway stations.
They said that improvements to the freight management system, digital weighing bridges, and rolling stock tracking have enhanced service efficiency and transparency.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi, Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema, Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kiyani, and other senior officials.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026