Pakistan Railways crosses Rs100bn revenue, sets Rs160bn target

Pakistan Railways has crossed the Rs100 billion revenue mark for the first time in its history, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi said on Monday, and is working towards a target of Rs160 billion.

Abbasi spoke in Rawalpindi at a ceremony held to inaugurate 11 refurbished coaches of the Awam Express. The train had previously been in poor condition and had now been upgraded, he said.

Further improvements to other trains were being considered, he said. Operational problems affecting the Karakoram Express and the Millat Express had also been resolved.

The minister said Pakistan Railways was moving towards greater private-sector involvement, including the outsourcing of some of its services.

Railway hospitals would also be outsourced, he said. Employees would continue to receive free medical treatment.

On branch lines, Abbasi said the railway was developing projects in consultation with provincial governments and that agreements had been reached with Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to restore services.

Four branch-line routes would be restored during the current year and another four in the next financial year, he said.

Sindh could also benefit from the initiative if its government wanted to reactivate services on branch lines in the province, according to the minister.

Abbasi did not say by when the railway expects to reach the Rs160 billion revenue figure, or which of its services and hospitals are being considered for outsourcing. He also did not name the four branch-line routes due to be restored first.

He did not release a breakdown of the revenue, or say how much of it came from passenger traffic and how much from freight.

Pakistan Railways is the state-owned carrier that runs the country's passenger and freight trains under the federal Ministry of Railways.