FAISALABAD: Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi has announced that Karachi’s newly upgraded and modern railway station will be formally inaugurated on September 10.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to Faisalabad railway station, Abbasi said the initiative is part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision to modernise Pakistan Railways through both short- and long-term development projects across the country.
He pointed out that ticketing has now been fully digitised, a live train tracking system is in place, ATMs have been installed at major stations, and free Wi-Fi services will soon be available at 40 railway stations in Punjab with the cooperation of the provincial government.
The minister revealed that several services are being outsourced by September 30, including the operation of 9 to 11 passenger and freight trains, guest houses, special saloons, hospitals, and schools — a move aimed at improving service standards and generating additional revenue.
Abbasi also announced that special saloons, once reserved exclusively for senior officials, are now available to the general public at affordable rates. He added that cleanliness at major stations has been contracted out to solid waste management companies, while provincial food authorities will directly oversee the quality of food served at stations.
Highlighting ongoing infrastructure investments, Abbasi said the Punjab government is committing Rs50 billion to railway development projects covering eight upgraded routes. Additionally, Rs250 billion has been allocated for a new double-track line and modern signalling system between Lahore and Rawalpindi, which will cut travel time to just over two hours.
Other projects include the creation of a Shahdara–Raiwind linear park, upgrades to stations in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Taxila, as well as track improvements from Sheikh Zaid to Kuchlak in Balochistan. In Sindh, Rohri station will be modernised under an agreement with the provincial government.
“The Karachi station project is a major milestone in our journey to transform Pakistan Railways, and its inauguration on September 10 will mark the beginning of a new chapter,” Abbasi remarked.
