-
-
-
Loading
Loading
• Project aimed at modernising ageing rail infrastructure on 480km mainline
• Hanif Abbasi announces outsourcing of PR schools and hospitals to improve service delivery
KARACHI: Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi on Monday announced that work on the 480-kilometre-long Karachi-Rohri track will start in September with an estimated cost of two billion dollars.
He said this while addressing a ceremony held here to mark the initial commencement of the International School Pakistan Railways (PR) Campus Karachi, aimed at delivering world-class education within a framework of national partnership and common growth.
Sindh Governor Nehal Hashmi, Railways Secretary Mazahar Ali Shah and others attended the ceremony.
Elaborating on measures for improvement of the Karachi-Rohri section of the main double line, the minister said that it was the most difficult track built in the 1860s.
He added that the prime minister had decided the 480-km-long Karachi-Rohri track will be rejuvenated with an estimated cost of $2bn, and the foundation stone of the project was expected to be laid in September this year.
Responding to a media query about regional rail connectivity, the minister said that Pakistan was going to start development of a railway track connecting Central Asia and Europe via Iran soon.
“The work on the 900-km-long Rohri-Naukundi section has already been initiated on the directives of the Prime Minister, and the tendering process for laying a new railway track on the 87-km-Naukundi-Taftan section has been started”, he said.
Responding to another query, he said that a project to connect Thar Coal with the railway line was underway, and the track from Islamkot to Chhor is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The federal minister also elaborated on various measures for improvement of railway stations, platforms and other facilities, and informed that the process of complete digitisation of Pakistan Railways (PR) was underway and it will be completed within a month.
He said that the PR and Punjab government had inked an agreement to modernise and expand rail services across the province.
The project included the development of fast and regional routes in the province and the introduction of modern and state-of-the-art trains, while the Punjab government will provide advanced diesel multiple unit (DMU) locomotives.
‘PR schools in pathetic condition’
The federal minister expressed pleasure at the development works carried out at the school and said that PR had 14 schools across the country for facilitating the education of its employees’ children, but unfortunately, those schools were in a pathetic condition.
The PR has entered into a partnership with The International School to ameliorate the condition of the Railway School Karachi and ensure quality education for the children of its employees in a standard environment, he said
He added that all 14 schools were being outsourced transparently after fulfilment of set criteria and due legal requirements, and that the enrolled students would have the opportunity to acquire quality education.
“Likewise, we are also working to ensure provision of quality healthcare facilities to Pakistan Railways employees and seven Railways hospitals were also being outsourced on a partnership basis where employees will be able to get medical facilities of international standard”, he said.
Governor Hashmi, addressing the occasion, said that PR was not only a major and affordable source of travel for the common man but also connected the entire country, linking cultures, languages and hearts of people from different regions.
The governor appreciated the initiative of rehabilitation of PR schools, saying that he will visit the school again to monitor the progress.
“The children enrolled in the school are going to be the face of Pakistan”, he said and urged the school administration to take forward the mission with national spirit and impart exemplary education to the students who were destined to be future leaders of the country.
Earlier, Minister Abbasi, along with the Sindh governor, Chairman Railways and other executives of PR and The International School, unveiled the plaque to mark the commencement of the school’s operations.
He also visited the school and inspected different sections as well as the ongoing educational process.
Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2026
if you want to get more information about this news then click on below link
More Detail