History of Pak Railway System and Overview in 2024

Pak Railway network covered 7,791 route kilometers, including 7,479 km of broad Gauge ( more than 1230 km of double-track) and 312 route km of meter gauge. The 285 km track between Lahore and Khanewal was electrified, but its operation was suspended in 2011. Now, all the Pakistan Railway systems are operated through Diesel-electric Locomotives. The total earnings of the Pakistan Railways Rs. 63.2 billion in 2022-23.

Origin and History of Pak Railway 

The history of Pakistan Railways dates back to the British colonial era when a reliable transportation system was needed. The North Western Railway’s first journey in 1855 marked the beginning of railway development in Pakistan. The construction of a railway line from Karachi started in 1858. Initially, a line was planned from Karachi City to Kotri, followed by rivers Indus and Chenab for steam navigation up to Multan, and then a railway line to Lahore was proposed.

Here are the key sections and their opening years:

• The Karachi–Kotri section opened in 1861 (with the Kotri Bridge over the Indus River opening in 1899).
• The Kotri–Rohri section opened in 1900.
• The Rohri–Multan section opened in 1879 (with the Empress Bridge over the Sutlej River opening in 1878).
• The Multan–Lahore section opened in 1861.
• The Lahore–Peshawar section opened in 1876 (with the Attock Bridge over the Indus River opening in 1883).

In 1954, Pak Railway added branch lines Mardan and Charsada with ML-1 the mainline and two year later, the Jacobabad-Kashmore meter-gauge line was changed to a broader gauge. The Kot Adu-Kashmore section of the Kotri–Attock Railway Line was built between 1969 and 1973, providing an alternate route from Karachi to northern areas.

During the 2000s, Pak Railways converted all narrow-gauge tracks in the country to broader gauge or removed them. On January 8, 2016, Pakistan Railways completed the Lodhran–Raiwind Line double-rail project on ML-1. Although the railway had an electrified 285 km track from Khanewal to Lahore, it did not manage it, and it became difficult due to the non-expansion of the ET sections.

How Pak Railway Function

Pakistan Railways is a state-owned organization under the Ministry of Railway Islamabad, which functions under the chairman/Secretary and Railway Board. The Pak railway is a vital component of the nation’s infrastructure, functioning through three primary units: operations, manufacturing, and welfare, along with special initiatives. Pak Railway headquarters are in Lahore, headed by the CEO/Sr.GM.

Infrastructure Department of Pak Railway

The Infrastructure Department encompasses the civil engineering (Track, building and bridges), signaling, telecommunications, design, and the directorate of property. It serves as the foundation for maintaining and upgrading railway infrastructure across the nation.

Mechanical Engineering Department in Pak Railway

Responsible for mechanical engineering, purchasing, stores, and electrical engineering; the Mechanical Engineering Department ensures the smooth functioning of locomotives and rolling stock, which is essential for seamless operations.

Traffic Department in Pak Railway

Pak Railway Traffic Department oversees passenger facilities, operations, marketing, and the directorate of information technology. It plays a pivotal role in optimizing passenger experience and operational efficiency.

Allied Departments

Several smaller Pakistan Railway departments, including personnel, railway police, planning, legal affairs, public relations, and the Pakistan Railways Academy, complement the operations unit by providing specialized support services.

Pak Railway Operating Divisions (Divisional Superintend Offices)

Pakistan Railways operates through eight territorial operating divisions strategically spread across the country: Karachi, Sukkur, Quetta, Multan, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, and Gwadar (Non-operational). A rolling stock maintenance workshop exists in Lahore, which is known as the Mughal Pura Division.

Factories and Workshops of Pakistan Railway

Pak Railway Factories

The manufacturing unit deals with the Pakistan Railways factories headed by GM&S, and the workshop is dealt with by the respective head of the maintenance department.

• Pakistan Railway Locomotive Factory Risalpur
• Pakistan Railway Carriage Factory Islamabad
• Pak Railway Sleeper Factories
  • Railway Sleeper Factory Khanewal
  • Railway Sleeper Factory Kohat
  • Railway Sleeper Factory Kotri (outsourced-2006)
  • Railway Sleeper Factory Shahin Abad (closed)
  • Railway Sleeper Factory Sukkur

Pak Railway Workshop

1. Pak Railway Mughulpura Workshops 
2. Pakistan Railways Central Diesel Locomotive Workshop (CDL) 
3. Pakistan Railway Hyderabad wagons workshop 
4. Pak Railway Signal Workshop Lahore
5.  Pakistan Railway Bridge Workshop Jhelum
6. Track workshop Raiwand
7. Track machine shop Lahore
8. AVLB shop Lahore

Pakistan Rail School and Hospital

Pakistan Railway School

The education directorate runs 14 education and 2 industrial schools. The aim and objective of Pakistan Railway Educational Institutions is to provide a conducive teaching and learning environment for education on scientific footing and to provide opportunities for creative activities and self-exploration under the guidance of professionals.

Pak Railway Hospital

Pakistan Railways has eight significant hospitals in Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Mughulpura, Multan, Sukkur, Karachi, and Quetta. In addition, there are 46 dispensaries and 25 Child Welfare Centers Where serving/retired Railway employees and their families are provided free treatment. Cairns Railway hospital is the biggest railway hospital on allama Iqbal road near Pakistan Railway headquarter which is also under outsourcing like CMH hospital in Pak army.

Pakistan Railway Companies

The following companies are worked under the Ministry of Railway

1. Railway Constructions Pakistan Limited (RAILCOP) 
2. Real Estate Development and Marketing Company (REDAMCO)
3. Pakistan Railways Advisory & Consultancy Services (PRACS)
4. Pakistan Railway Freight Transportation Company (PRFTC) 

Pakistan Railway Academy Walton

A Lahore-based Railway Training School of Pakistan Railway. This Academy aims to arrange training for the newly recruited officers and staff of Pakistan Railways and also arrange Promotion and Refresher Courses for the officials and officers. The Academy is headed by a Director General, who is assisted by Joint Directors, heading each of the engineering disciplines viz, Civil, Mechanical, Signaling and Telecommunications, Electrical/Electronic Engineering and the Traffic (Operations. Commercial) Departments. Each joint director is assisted by an assistant director and an adequate number of instructors, drawn mainly from the experienced railway staff serving.

Initiatives and Modernization Efforts Made in Pak Railway

ML1 Railway Project

The up-gradation of the Karachi-Peshawar main line (ML-I) is a critical early harvest railway of the more extensive portfolio of projects conceived under/the CPEC initiative inspired by China’s One Belt One Road concept. It is being taken up under a bilateral framework agreement signed on May 15, 2017, between China and Pakistan, declaring it a “Strategic” project. The project mainly involves the upgradation of a 1,733 km railway line at 160/120 KM/PH speed from the port city of Karachi to Peshawar, including the doubling of tracks from Shahdara to Peshawar (454 km). The ML-1 railway line project is one of the most significant projects ($6.8 billion). It spans a total distance of 1,872 km from Karachi to Peshawar. It covers 184 railway stations and carries over 75% of the country’s cargo and passengers. It follows all the international safety procedures and protocols to ensure the safe operations of the Pakistan Railway.

Past Projects:

The following major Project was completed by Pakistan Railway.

1. Mirpur Khas to Khokhropar (Zero Point) 133 kilometre converted meter auge to broad GaugeGauge in 2006 
2. Doubling of Track from Lodhran to Khanewal (121 KMS).
3. Doubling of Track on Khanewal-Raiwind Section (246 KMS) in 2016.
4. Complete Track Renewal (CTR) of Khanpur-Lodhran completed 1n 2021.
5. Upgradation of Major railway Stations, Bahawalpur, Okara, Yousufwala, Hassan Abdal, Khanewal, Nankana Sahib, and Narowal.
6. Upgrading and doubling port Qasim-Bin Qasim and upgrading the old Kemari line.
7. Re-signalling project bodhran-shahdara Bagh section of Pakistan railways
8.  In 2017, 55 additional locomotives (4000 horsepower) manufactured in the United States were added to the Pakistan Railways fleet.
9. Pakistan Railway introduced ERP in offices to increase efficiency and paperless work.

Raabta Online rail ticket booking app:

Pakistan Railways has launched the Railway Automated Booking and Travel Assistance (RABTA) application. Officially, it is a ticketing application that provides passengers with convenient online ticket booking.

EPAD

Pakistan Railway adopts e-procurement system to tackle inefficiencies in procurement and reduce bureaucratic delays.

ERP (SAP)

A significant development is going to occur with the introduction of the SAP ERP Material Management (MM) Module within Pakistan Railways. The installation of the new system is one of these effective steps to ensure the digitization of railways. Following are the possible module to be implemented.

The adoption of the SAP system brings a host of benefits to the organization. It revolutionizes Pakistan Railway’s inventory, procurement, and logistics operations by providing real time data, thus enhancing productivity and reducing operational costs. Unlike traditional system, SAP offers comprehensive analytics that empower improved decision- making and resource allocation. Its integrated approach fosters transparency, accountability, and streamlined operations, making it the ideal choice for the modernization of Pakistan Railways material management processes.

The system will enable the railway planners to maintain an overview of existing railway resources, such as staff or rolling stock. They can also identify more efficient ways to use them.

Routes and Pak Railway Line

Main Line 1 (ML-1) Karachi–Peshawar Line

2. Main Line 2 (ML-2) Kotri–Attock Line

3.Main Line 3 (ML-3) Rohri–Chaman Line

4.Main Line 4 (ML-4) Quetta–Taftan Line

5.Main Line 5 (ML-5) Taxila–Hevellian Khunjerab Line

Famous railway Stations

At ML-1, famous Pakistan Railway stations are Karachi City, Karachi Cant, Jang Shahi, Kotri, Hyderabad, Nawab shah, Rohri, Rahim yar Khan, Khan Pur, Samasata, Bahawalpur, Lodhran, Multan, Khanewal, Sahiwal, Lahore, Gujranwala, Wazirabad, Lalamusa, Jhehlum, Rawalpindi, Attock Khurd and Peshawar.

At ML-2, Important stations are Kotri, Shewan, Dadu, Jacobabad, Kashmoor, DG-Khan, Kotaddu, Bakhar, Kundian, and Attock stations.

At Ml-3, central Pakistan railways are Sukkur, Jacobabad, Sibbi, Kolpur, Queta and Chaman station.

Pakistan is blessed with breathtaking landscapes and cultural treasures, and many of these can be explored via the Pakistan Railway. Lala Musa-Rawalpindi-Peshawar is the most beautiful green, lush section, at which Attock Khurd is the most beautiful railway station.

Pakistan Railway Trains

Pakistan Railway Green Line Express” is a famous train that offers a premium travel experience with modern amenities and swift service. Other famous Pakistan railway trains are Karachi Express, Khyber Mail, Tezgham, Rehman Baba, Rail Car, Allama Iqbal, Karakorum, Millat Express, Bolan, Jaffar and Quetta Express. 

The privatized trains include Mehr Express, Fareed Express, Faiz Ahmad Faiz Express, Jinnah Express, Mehran Express, Badar Express, Sir Syed Express, Ghaori Express, and Mianwali Express.

Pakistan Railway Employee

 According to the yearbook 2022-2023, Pakistan Railways had 59,140 persons on its payroll who were chargeable to the revenue account. Out of this number, 16,725 (28.28%) were employed in the civil Engineering Department, which maintains track and building, 16,208 (27.14%) in the Mechanical Department which repairs and maintains the rolling stock, 8,317 (14.06%) in the Transportation department which controls Guards, Station Masters, Yard Staff etc. 2499 (4.23%) in the Commercial Department which controls Passenger Ticket Officers, Freight Depots, Luggage.

Current Status and Earnings

During the Financial Year 2022-2023, the total earnings of Pakistan Railways amounted to Rs.63,286,296,288 consisting of Rs.34,756,140,656 (54.92%) from passengers Rs.1,715,553,750 (2.71%) from luggage, parcels, mails etc., Rs.17,595,788,059 (27.80%) from freight, and Rs.9,218,813,823 (14.56%) from Sundry and other earnings

Main Problem of Pakistan Railway

Pakistan Railways faces numerous challenges across various dimensions. The infrastructure is aging, with poorly maintained tracks, bridges, and inadequate signaling and safety systems.

Rolling stock must be updated, leading to frequent mechanical failures and breakdowns. Operational inefficiencies, such as poor scheduling and punctuality issues, are rampant. Financial constraints are significant, with chronic underfunding, heavy reliance on government subsidies, and a lack of private investment interest.

Corruption and mismanagement further exacerbate these issues, with widespread procurement and operations corruption and a lack of accountability and transparency. Political factors play a detrimental role, with the railway used for political employee engagement, running loss-making trains due to political pressure, and frequent political interference.

Strong labor unions contribute to disputes and resistance to change, while interdepartmental miscoordination hampers effective functioning. Safety is a significant concern, with high accident rates and poor emergency response capabilities. The railway faces stiff competition from road and air transport, leading to declining passenger and freight revenue. Inconsistent and poorly executed modernization plans reflect a need for long-term strategic vision.

Conclusion: How can we improve the Pakistan Railway

1. Convince Pakistan’s energy department and planning commission to Develop and upgrade the infrastructure of railway facilities. As a result, the burden of chronic energy shortages and reliance on fossil fuels will be lessened in Pakistan. This will not only improve connectivity but also stimulate economic activity and facilitate trade. 
2. Invest in vocational training and skill development programs to equip the workforce with the necessary skills for employment in emerging industries.
3. Embrace digital technology to enhance governance, service delivery, and economic growth. Expand access to high-speed internet connectivity and promote e-government services. 
4. Devise a system that discourages corruption and Implement measures to tackle corruption at all levels. Enhance transparency, accountability, and the rule of law to create a fair and just society.
5. Enhance security measures to combat terrorism, extremism, and internal conflicts. Strengthen law enforcement agencies, promote community policing, and address root causes of instability through socio-economic development.
6. Preserve and promote Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage, including its diverse languages, traditions, and historical sites. Invest in cultural sites at Pakistan Railway and promote them through digital media.

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