Islamabad: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Railways stressed the need to regularize railway land and lease out commercial properties to enhance revenue generation.
A meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee was held under the chairmanship of Rai Hassan Nawaz Khan at the Railway Headquarters Lahore. During the meeting, CEO of Pakistan Railways Amir Ali Baloch briefed the committee on the performance of the organization, its operational matters and other sectors.
The meeting was attended by committee members Abrar Ahmed, Wasim Qadir, Zulfiqar Sattar Bachani, Ramesh Lal, Muhammad Ilyas Choudhry, Syed Shah Ahad Ali Shah, Muhammad Jamal Ahsan Khan, Shafqat Abbas and Ahmad Saleem Siddiqui, along with senior Railway officers including Chairman Pakistan Railways Syed Mazhar Ali Shah, CEO Amir Ali Baloch and IG Railways Rao Sardar Ali.
Amir Ali Baloch provided a detailed briefing on the facilities being offered on passenger trains, including the introduction of modern dining cars, water dispensers and Wi-Fi on the Green Line, Shalimar, and Karakoram trains. He also highlighted the launch of e-ticketing, refund policies, internet services and a Rabta app, which have significantly improved passengers’ trust in the railway services. The committee expressed satisfaction with these developments.
Additionally, the committee was briefed on the efforts to remove encroachments and lease railway land, as well as address issues related to ‘Kachi Abadis’. Committee members stressed the need to regularize railway land and lease out commercial properties to enhance revenue generation for Pakistan Railways.
In response to a question on the Quetta Railway Station suicide bombing, IG Railways Rao Sardar Ali shared detailed information about the attack. He informed the committee that compensation for the martyrs and injured was in its final stages. He suggested the construction of security walls at railway stations, the installation of walk-through gates, increased personnel for railway police and the allocation of funds for the Quick Response Force (QRF). The committee approved these suggestions and assured that the issues related to personnel and scales would be addressed.
Chairman Rai Hassan Nawaz Khan expressed the committee’s commitment to sending recommendations to the government for improving railway services. He also approved the minutes of the previous meeting, praising the informative railway station visit that had taken place earlier on Thursday. He appreciated the cleanliness system at the Police Helpline Centre and the Executive Washrooms built under the Public-Private Partnership at Lahore Railway Station.
Furthermore, he proposed a special grant for the renovation of Lahore Railway Station, which was supported by the committee members. He instructed the railway authorities to expedite the ML-1 Project and ensure timely train operations.
The meeting focused on reviewing the performance and progress of Pakistan Railways and included comprehensive briefings, site visits, and discussions on improving railway operations. On the first day, the committee was given detailed briefings on the functioning of various departments of Pakistan Railways.
The meeting concluded with a unanimous commitment to work towards strengthening Pakistan Railways and improving its services for the public.
