The Senate Standing Committee on Railways addressed key challenges affecting Pakistan Railways, including recruitment irregularities, pension reforms, and security concerns. The session, chaired by Senator Jam Saifullah Khan at Parliament House, saw active participation from senators and senior officials, who stressed the need for systemic improvements.
The committee raised concerns over contractual recruitments, calling for greater transparency and merit-based hiring. Senator Shahadat Awan emphasized the importance of converting contractual roles into permanent positions to ensure job security for thousands of employees. The committee chairman directed the submission of a detailed report on recent departmental transfers, signaling a push for greater accountability.
During the session, the Pakistan Railways Secretary revealed a workforce shortage of 37,000 employees, with only 58,000 staff against a required 95,000. He also highlighted the financial strain of the current pension policy, formulated in 2015. The committee recommended exploring international recruitment models for railway police and proposed a contributory pension system to ease the government’s financial burden.
Security concerns were a major focus, as Senator Awan pointed out a shortage of 3,000 railway police personnel and insufficient security equipment. The committee mandated the recruitment of 1,000 additional personnel before Eid and called for the installation of modern security gadgets, including scanners and explosive detectors, at 20 major railway stations.
Budgetary issues were also scrutinized, particularly the repeated revision of the ML-1 project’s PC-1, which has led to significant cost overruns. The Ministry of Railways assured the committee that all ongoing projects, including the Thar Coal Project, would be completed by June 30, 2025.
The committee reaffirmed its commitment to revitalizing Pakistan Railways, directing the Ministry to submit detailed reports on pension reforms, recruitment, security measures, and budget utilization.
