Pakistan Railways Freight Trains to Rise to 14
Pakistan Railways freight trains will increase from nine to 14 by January 31, as the state railway moves to meet rising demand from the business community and lift its freight earnings. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi at the railway headquarters in Lahore on Friday.
At present, the railway runs nine freight trains, all starting from Karachi and serving cities including Lahore. Those nine do not meet the demands of traders and manufacturers, so the meeting approved five more. Pakistan Railways Chief Executive Officer Hafeezullah told Dawn that work on the new services has already begun.
“At present, we are operating nine freight trains, originating from Karachi for various cities, including Lahore. Since these do not meet the demands of the business community, it was finally decided to start operations of five more freight trains by Jan 31,” Mr Hafeezullah said.
What the Pakistan Railways freight trains plan includes
Preparations for the five new trains rest on two deadlines in December. Old goods wagons are being refurbished, and that work will be finished by December 31. Locomotives that are fully fit will also be handed over to the freight wing by December, so the railway can raise the number of freight trains from nine to 14 in January.
The meeting also approved a dry port at the Khanewal Railway Junction, to improve cargo handling and support the freight business. Better cargo facilities at Khanewal, a junction on the main line between Karachi and Lahore, would let more goods move by rail instead of road.
Safety and discipline were on the agenda too. Taking notice of train accidents caused by mechanical faults, Mr Abbasi directed officials to hold inquiries against train examiners through the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). He also ordered the installation of five additional weighbridges across the country by December 31, to prevent overloading of wagons.
In a move aimed at improving administrative efficiency, the meeting decided to stop holding operational meetings at the railway headquarters. Such meetings will now take place at the divisional level, so that problems are resolved closer to where they arise and decisions are taken faster.
The meeting also decided to phase out damaged vehicles movement (DVM) and damaged vehicles sickline (DVS) coaches and wagons from the railway system. Sleeper factories were directed to work double shifts to increase production of sleepers. The minister expressed displeasure over delays in buying spare parts for locomotives and passenger coaches, and directed officials to remove the bottlenecks in procurement so that parts reach workshops on time.
Branch lines and Punjab funding
Mr Abbasi also met Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb to discuss the restoration of branch railway lines in the province. Ms Aurangzeb assured the federal minister that the funds needed for the restoration of branch lines would be released immediately.
Branch lines carry passengers and goods to smaller towns off the main Karachi to Peshawar route. Many have fallen into disrepair, and their restoration would reconnect districts that lost rail service as lines closed or trains were withdrawn.
Why freight matters for Pakistan Railways
Freight is the part of the railway that earns money. Passenger fares rarely cover costs, so goods traffic pays for much of the network. Every extra freight train that runs full adds revenue without the subsidy burden that passenger services carry, which is why the ministry has put freight growth at the centre of its turnaround plan.
The expansion comes as the railway works through a wider reform programme. Feature Pakistan earlier reported that the first phase of the Main Line-I upgrade is worth $2.1 billion, and that the prime minister has pressed for faster railway reform. The railway has also outsourced 13 passenger trains to private operators, and the National Accountability Bureau has recovered railway land worth Rs91 billion.
Safety remains the weak point. Feature Pakistan reported last month that Pakistan Railways had declared a three-month emergency after a run of accidents. The decision to send train examiners’ cases to the FIA, and to add weighbridges to stop overloading, shows the ministry knows that more trains will only help if they run safely.
What happens next
December will decide whether the January deadline holds. The refurbished wagons and the fit locomotives must both be ready by the end of the year, and the five new weighbridges must be in place by December 31. The dry port at Khanewal will take longer, but its approval signals that the ministry wants freight to keep growing past the first five trains.
Frequently asked questions
How many freight trains does Pakistan Railways run now?
Pakistan Railways currently runs nine freight trains, all starting from Karachi and serving cities including Lahore.
When will the five new freight trains start?
The five additional freight trains are due to start operations by January 31, 2027, once wagon refurbishment and locomotive provision are completed in December.
Where will the new dry port be built?
The meeting approved a dry port at the Khanewal Railway Junction, to improve cargo handling facilities and promote the freight business.
Why is Pakistan Railways expanding freight services?
The nine existing freight trains do not meet the demands of the business community. More freight trains will expand freight operations, boost revenue and improve operational efficiency, according to the railways minister.
