Overview
- At a Nov. 22 review meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called rail the economy’s backbone and directed the hiring of international‑standard legal and economic experts for regional connectivity and international train projects, with PPP use for railway land and property.
- Officials reported the Rabta digitalisation rollout now has seven portals live, with 56 trains integrated and 54 stations digitised.
- Free Wi‑Fi is active at Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad stations, with a target to add 48 more by Dec. 31; a pilot digital weighing bridge launched at Karachi City Station and 148 AI cameras were installed at Rawalpindi.
- Four passenger trains and 40 luggage/brake vans have been outsourced, advertisements are out for 11 more trains, and additional outsourcing spans hospitals, schools, colleges, rest houses and dry ports, which officials said is expected to yield billions of rupees in extra revenue.
- Energy and structure changes include 155 stations shifted to solar power and the closure of three railway subsidiaries, while planning continues on ML‑1 and ML‑3 upgrades, Thar connectivity with Sindh, the Islamabad‑Tehran‑Istanbul service and preliminary work on the KUAP rail corridor.