NA Body Orders Retrieval of Railway Land
Pakistan Railways land encroachment came under scrutiny on Tuesday, Dawn reported, as the National Assembly Standing Committee on Railways called for the retrieval of railway land from private occupants and government departments.
The committee was informed on Tuesday that out of 19,594 acres of railway land, about 951.28 acres were under illegal occupation of the private sector, while 307 acres were encroached upon by the government.
The meeting was held at the Parliament House with MNA Ramesh Lal in the chair.
Pakistan Railways land encroachment: what has been retrieved
Officials told the committee that 363.907 acres of land had been retrieved during the last four years. During July to October 2026, encroachments covering about 8.992 acres were removed, with an estimated value of Rs305.67 million.
The Ministry of Railways also shared a schedule for the removal of further encroachments during November 2026.
The committee stressed the importance of protecting valuable railway land, ensuring effective coordination with provincial and local administrations, speeding up land retrieval operations and taking concrete steps to improve land safety.
It also called for the timely implementation of its earlier recommendations and for stronger overall efficiency in Pakistan Railways.
Karachi land under pressure
The committee reviewed encroachments on railway land in the Karachi Division, where the problem is most severe. Karachi division alone accounts for 1,258 acres of encroached railway land, most of it in prime urban areas.
The scale of the problem was underlined this week by NAB, which said it had helped secure and record the mutation of nearly 4,000 kanals of railway land in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Chakwal and Murree, worth an estimated Rs118 billion. The bureau’s action covers plots in the north, while the committee’s focus is on the system-wide picture.
Land is one of Pakistan Railways’ most valuable assets. Encroached plots block track expansion, station upgrades and freight terminals, and they cost the department revenue it could earn from commercial use.
Railway Board Bill deferred
The committee also reviewed the Railway Board Bill, 2026, a government bill that would reshape how the railway is governed. It decided to defer consideration of the bill until its next meeting.
The deferral means the bill’s progress will wait for a fuller discussion, including the views of the ministry and the railway’s management.
Accidents down slightly
The meeting was also briefed on recent railway accidents across the country. Officials said 89 accidents had been reported from January 1 to November 2, compared with 92 during the same period of 2025.
The major causes included track-related problems, rolling stock defects, human errors, road users’ violations at level crossings, sabotage, natural calamities and other operational failures.
Officials said ageing railway infrastructure, inadequate development funding, trespassing, violations at level crossings and foggy weather were among the factors behind the accidents.
Pakistan Railways is working to bring its accident ratio below 0.19 per cent under its strategic roadmap, the officials said.
The slight fall in accidents is welcome, but the numbers remain high. With 36 new locomotives due to join the fleet by June 2027, traffic on the network will rise, and safety will depend on track renewal and stricter enforcement at level crossings.
What happens next
The committee will take up the Railway Board Bill at its next meeting. The ministry’s November schedule for removing encroachments will show whether the retrieval drive moves beyond announcements.
For passengers and freight users, the stakes are practical. Pakistan is also pushing green freight corridors to shift cargo from road to rail, with a target of lifting rail’s freight share to 20 per cent. That plan needs land, track and terminals, and every acre under encroachment makes it harder.
Frequently asked questions
How much railway land is illegally occupied?
About 951.28 acres are under illegal occupation by the private sector and 307 acres by government departments, out of 19,594 acres of railway land.
How much land has been retrieved?
Officials told the committee that 363.907 acres had been retrieved in the last four years, including 8.992 acres removed between July and October 2026.
What is the Railway Board Bill, 2026?
It is a government bill on the governance of Pakistan Railways. The National Assembly Standing Committee on Railways has deferred its consideration until its next meeting.
How many railway accidents happened in 2026?
89 accidents were reported from January 1 to November 2, 2026, compared with 92 in the same period of 2025.
What causes most railway accidents?
Track problems, rolling stock defects, human error, level-crossing violations, sabotage, natural calamities and ageing infrastructure are the main causes.
