Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi has announced that Faisalabad Railway Station will be upgraded to international standards within the next 45 days, as part of a nationwide drive to modernise rail operations, boost connectivity and enhance passenger facilities.
Speaking to reporters during his visit to the station on Saturday, Abbasi said key initiatives — including the digitalisation of Pakistan Railways, large-scale infrastructure upgrades and outsourcing of services — will be completed this year.
Under the ongoing digitalisation programme, he said, the ticketing system has been fully automated, a train tracking system is in place, and ATM machines have been installed at major stations. In collaboration with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, free wifi is being rolled out at 40 stations across the province, beginning in Lahore and soon expanding to Faisalabad, Karachi, Hyderabad and other cities.
The minister said outsourcing contracts — covering nine to eleven passenger and freight trains, rest houses, special saloons, hospitals, schools and other facilities — would be finalised by September 30 to raise service quality and generate additional revenue. Special saloons once reserved for government officials, he added, are now available for public rental at affordable rates.
Abbasi highlighted improvements in station hygiene, with solid waste management companies taking over cleanliness operations at multiple locations including three stations in Rawalpindi, as well as facilities in Khanewal, Multan, Raiwind, Okara and three in Lahore. Similar agreements for other cities are under way. Provincial food authorities now have direct access to stations to monitor and ensure the provision of safe, quality food for passengers.
Announcing the introduction of modern Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) trains, he said they would operate on routes such as Lahore–Faisalabad, Narowal and Kasur, each carrying 650 passengers with capacity for future expansion.
The Punjab government, he noted, is investing Rs50 billion in railway development projects, including upgrades to eight routes — among them Lahore–Faisalabad, Lahore–Narowal, Lahore–Kot Addu and Lahore–Kasur. A further Rs250 billion has been earmarked for a new double track and advanced signalling system between Lahore and Rawalpindi, cutting travel time between the two cities by up to 2.5 hours.
Abbasi also announced a Rs2.35 billion linear park from Shahdara to Raiwind, alongside the refurbishment of major stations in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Taxila, and the upgrading of a 50km stretch from Sheikh Zayed to Kuchlak in Balochistan.
Under an agreement with the Sindh government, Rohri Railway Station will be redeveloped on the Lahore model, while a modernised Karachi station is scheduled for inauguration on September 10.
Feasibility studies for the 250km Sibi–Rohri section and 480km Rohri–Karachi track will be completed in the coming months, with construction set to begin by June next year. The Thar Coal track is targeted for completion by next April, potentially reducing electricity generation costs from Rs15 to Rs4 per unit. The Reko Diq railway link is expected to be operational by 2028.
Other plans include an $10 billion project for an 850km line from Kohat to Mazar-i-Sharif with a 75km extension to Uzbekistan. The Track Access Fee policy will allow private operators to run their own wagons and trains, encouraging competition and lowering costs.
Abbasi said Faisalabad’s station transformation will be carried out with the support of local industrialists and traders, while Gujranwala’s upgrade will be personally funded by Aleem Khan. Citing Lahore Railway Station’s rapid modernisation, he pledged to replicate the same standards nationwide.
He added that upgrading Faisalabad Station will directly benefit 8,000 to 10,000 daily passengers and further strengthen the city’s role as an industrial and commercial hub.
