Senate panel demands accountability after Ministry of Railways submits misleading data on corruption, financial losses

• Secretary Railways provides update on corruption cases, revealing 3,230 FIRs registered over the past five years for theft, embezzlement, and misuse of authority

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Railways criticised the Ministry of Railways for its failure to provide accurate data on corruption and financial losses, calling for accountability for those responsible for misleading parliament.

According to news reports, the Railways Secretary acknowledged discrepancies in previous reports, attributing them to confusion between calendar and fiscal year data but assured that the information had been reconciled.

Committee Chairman Senator Jam Saifullah Khan expressed frustration over the ministry’s repeated submission of inconsistent information, despite multiple reminders. He stated that the failure to meet parliamentary directives highlighted serious shortcomings in the ministry’s internal accountability.

Senator Shahadat Awan, who had requested detailed information on financial losses, corruption cases, and railway accidents over the past five years, described the inaccurate and delayed data as a breach of privilege. He emphasized that transparency and diligence were essential, especially in matters involving significant public funds.

In response, the committee instructed the ministry to identify and penalise officials responsible for submitting erroneous data. 

The secretary Railways also provided details on the status of corruption-related cases, revealing that 3,230 FIRs had been registered over the past five years for theft, embezzlement, and misuse of authority. Of the total losses of Rs212.883 million, Rs109.487 million had been recovered. 

Additionally, 1,555 individuals were convicted, 309 acquitted, and 1,080 cases remained under trial.

Senator Awan questioned the ministry’s lack of updates on pending FIRs and called for a complete report on unresolved cases, with active cooperation from the police.

The committee also reviewed key railway infrastructure projects. The Railways Secretary informed members that alternative financing options were being explored for the Karachi-Rohri section of the ML-1 project, a critical bottleneck in the national rail network. He confirmed that options beyond the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) were being considered to address the urgent need for investment in the railways.