News Detail
Event Title: Senator Shahadat Awan, Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Railways presiding over a meeting of the Committee at Parliament House Islamabad
Event Date: 2026-10-06
A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Railways was held today at Parliament House under the convenership of Senator Shahadat Awan.
The meeting was attended by Senator Kamil Ali Agha, Senator Bushra Anjum Butt, Senator Dost Ali Jeesar.The Secretary Railway Board, CEO/Federal Government Inspector of Railway, IG Railway, DS (Lahore, Karachi & Sukkur), Legal Advisor alongwith other concerned officers and official representative attended the meeting.
The committee acknowledged the successful resumption of the Mohenjo Daro Express.
Noting its positive public reception another proposal was highlighted to resume the Khushal Khan Khattak Express which is the running route from Peshawar to Karachi.
During the meeting, recommendations were made by the members of the committee to develop and upgrade key heritage stations like Ranipur Court Railway Station to facilitate accessibility and encourage tourism and It was emphasized that non-functional stations across Pakistan should be evaluated for operational restoration.
The Chairman Committee raised strong concerns regarding the repeated absence of the Minister for Railways and the Minister of State from Senate standing Committee meetings as their presence vital for the proceedings of Committee. The Chair, therefore directed that a formal letter should be written to the Prime Minister highlighting the absence of Ministers for Railways, and emphasized upon the sanctity of the Committee of Upper House.
The Committee reprimanded the officials for submitting incomplete reports on pending litigation, theft, misappropriation, track damage, and freight losses.
It was pointed out that lower court cases which includes criminal cases, theft, missing track infrastructure were omitted from the provided documentation.
The Chairman, Senator Shahadat Awan granted 10 days deadline to the Ministry of Railways to submit a comprehensive, updated report covering all pending cases across all judicial forums.
The Committee further observed that the cases filed by the Ministry itself were not fixed for hearing for so long. It included the cases pending before the Courts since 2018. It was further deliberated that certain details of the pending cases provided by the Ministry was flawed as many of those cases were already disposed off by the concerned Courts, to which the Ministry was not aware of and submitted to the Committee that those cases were pending for arguments.
The Chairman Senator Shahadat Awan also enquired about the working mechanism of Law department and asked about the strength of officers and officials working in the Law department, to which Secretary Railway briefed the committee that around 300 officers and officials are working which are very less and there is a need for improvement in the system.
The Chairman Senator Shahadat Awan raised serious concern over the illegal and unauthorized occupation of Pakistan Railways 34763 residential accommodations. He stated that out of the total residential accommodations, 2323 quarters are illegally occupied and 1,732 quarters are occupied by individuals with no connection to Pakistan Railways. Additionally, 321 quarters are occupied by unauthorized persons with no clear association while 209 quarters are occupied by retired employees of the Ministry of Railways.
The IG Railways briefed the committee that they have conducted a survey 2 months ago and it has been identified that 1,087 quarters have been sub-let by authorized or former occupants, 804 quarters are illegally allocated, 236 quarters are involved in illegal activities and 27 are being used for commercial purposes such as running water filtration plants etc.
The Committee raised serious concern over the whole system of Railways.The Chairman Senator Shahadat Awan said that unauthorized occupants are using all the utilities including electricity, water, and sewage , with electricity meters which are often registered under unofficial names or remaining unmetered while incurring costs for Railways which is very strange.
The Committee members raised concerns that Legitimate railway employees on waiting lists are deprived of government housing despite available infrastructure, roads, and other amenities.
The Committee directed the Inspector General (IG) to file FIRs, evict illegal occupants, and hand over the quarters back to the railway administration. The Chairman Senator Shahadat Awan directed the Secretary Railways to look into the matter and take serious actions regarding all the issues.
Senator Kamil Ali Agha raised the issue about journalist's travel concession, to which CEO Informed the Committee that the matter shall be addressed by a separate public relation wing which deals with the matter pertaining to the journalists and update the Committee about it.
The agenda no. III & IV were deffered due to the absence of the Minster and state Minster.
The Committee directed the Ministry of Railways to submit it's comprehensive brief and recommendation report within the stipulated timeframe. With this the Committee was adjourned for further discussion in its next meeting.