Pakistan Railways (PR) is set to undergo a significant overhaul in the fiscal year 2025–26 with a whopping Rs22 billion earmarked for track upgrades, rolling stock rehabilitation, and major infrastructure improvements across the country. The massive investment is part of the federal Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and marks a strategic push to modernize the nation’s ageing rail system and make it safer, faster, and more efficient.
Of the total amount, Rs12 billion will be directed toward track repair, signaling systems, and communication upgrades — areas that have long needed attention due to years of neglect. An additional Rs10 billion has been allocated for the rehabilitation of rolling stock and other related schemes.
PR Chief Executive Officer Amir Ali Baloch, in a conversation with Dawn, highlighted that significant repair work has already been carried out in the Sukkur division — previously the most critical in terms of deteriorating track conditions. “Due to massive work, including replacement of decaying stretches of ML-1, derailments have significantly declined,” he said.
Interestingly, PR’s revenue trajectory has also seen a sharp upward shift. In July alone, the department earned a record-breaking Rs7.48 billion — Rs1.46 billion more than the same month last year. The department is now on track to cross Rs100 billion in revenue by the end of the fiscal year, compared to Rs93 billion in 2024–25 and Rs88 billion in 2023–24.
This financial turnaround, according to Baloch, has allowed PR to reduce its dependence on federal funding. Many recent improvements, including station renovations, escalators, modern toilets, Wi-Fi-enabled trains, online booking systems, and dining-on-wheels, have been implemented without any direct funding from the federal government.
In the previous fiscal year, the Karachi division topped in both passenger and freight earnings, generating Rs15 billion and Rs28 billion respectively. Lahore and Multan followed, contributing significantly to the revenue hike.
Moreover, PR earned Rs1.5 billion from military goods transport, Rs3 billion from special coaches, and Rs9 billion from miscellaneous sources. From Rs45 billion in 2018–19 to Rs93 billion last year, the railways’ income has more than doubled in just six years.
Despite financial constraints, PR leadership remains committed to expanding services and enhancing passenger comfort and safety. “Our goal is to make operations safer, stations more modern, and travel more comfortable,” the CEO said.
The modernization drive reflects Pakistan Railways’ broader ambition to reinvent itself as a reliable, economically viable, and sustainable transportation backbone — connecting cities, powering industries, and bringing Pakistan one step closer to efficient mass transit.
