Federal Minister for Railways, Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, announced that the department earned over Rs93 billion in revenue during 2025, a figure that reflects steady growth and tighter management.

Looking ahead, the minister said that Rs50 billion in revenue is expected in the first half of fiscal year 2025 26, adding that Pakistan Railways is on track to cross the historic Rs1 trillion revenue mark by the end of the financial year a milestone never achieved before in its history.

A major contributor to this progress has been the overhaul of safety systems. The Safety Department has been upgraded into a full fledged Safety Directorate, a move that has brought visible results.

According to official data, the accident rate has dropped sharply from 0.09 percent to 0.04 percent, and since the directorate was formed, no serious railway accident has occurred.

In another step toward safer travel, Rawalpindi was declared the country’s first smart railway station in 2025, equipped with surveillance cameras and modern security systems. Other major stations are set to follow in 2026, and cameras will soon be installed inside trains as well, further strengthening passenger safety.

Pakistan Railways has also pushed forward with rapid upgradation. Eight train rakes were upgraded within just eight months, including Shalimar Express, Pak Business Express, Lathani Express, and Faiz Ahmed Faiz Express. The minister pledged that all trains will be fully upgraded by December 2026.

Key stations in Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad have already been modernized, improving passenger comfort and overall efficiency.

The railway system has entered the digital age, with all ministerial work shifted to e filing. Major stations are now equipped with ATMs, ticket vending machines (DVMs), and POS systems, making transactions smoother and faster.

Attendance has also been computerized. Officials confirmed that employees can no longer draw salaries without physically attending office, a step aimed at discipline and transparency.

Efforts to reclaim railway property have gained momentum. In 2025 alone, 394 acres of encroached land were recovered. The minister stated that all illegally occupied railway land will be cleared by December 2026, calling it a long overdue cleanup.

Several non core services have been outsourced to improve quality. Three railway schools have already been outsourced, with more to follow in the next six months.

Additionally, 11 more trains are set to be outsourced, while cleaning services at major stations including Lahore, Khanewal, Multan, Karachi, and Rawalpindi have been handed over to private operators.

As a result, cleaning services are now available even at midnight, a change welcomed by passengers.

Food quality at stations has been improved, and provincial food authorities are authorized to conduct surprise checks at any time. Meanwhile, progress is underway on the Karachi, Rohri track project, with groundbreaking scheduled for July.

Overall, officials say Pakistan Railways is moving away from decline toward stability, step by step, system by system, driven by reforms that focus on safety, service, and sustainability.