ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi said on Saturday that no one should expect relief from prison sentences by citing illness as an excuse.
Speaking to reporters at the inauguration of upgraded Platforms 4 and 5 at a railway station, Abbasi said authorities would not mock anyone’s illness. “If someone is sick, they must receive treatment,” he said. “But if anyone seeks sentence relief on medical grounds as a pretext, they should forget it. Only what jail rules permit will apply.”
Abbasi said the rail network’s biggest challenge remains its aging tracks. He acknowledged resource constraints but vowed to meet targets. He warned that officers assigned goals must achieve them by June 30 or forfeit their positions.
He said the prime minister had tasked the ministry with upgrading key rail corridors. Pakistan recently signed agreements with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to enhance regional connectivity. Abbasi said a proposed 840-kilometer link connecting Chaman, Kandahar, Herat and Turkmenistan would connect Pakistan with Central Asia once completed.
He said attacks on freight operations near the Quetta-Taftan border with Iran had delayed cargo services. “We were ready to run freight trains, but security incidents disrupted the plan,” he said. He added that Pakistan had missed a key opportunity to build the ML-1 railway line earlier.
Abbasi said $2 billion in financing from the Asian Development Bank had been approved for the 480-kilometer Karachi-Rohri section. Work will begin by the end of July, he added.
He announced that a “People’s Train” would serve Quetta with funding from the Balochistan government. Freight services between Rohri and Karachi have increased from eight to 10 trains daily, with a target of 12.
Abbasi admitted that most railway hospitals, except the one in Rawalpindi, are in poor condition and will be outsourced. He said demand for tickets on premium trains remains high. Authorities have upgraded the Hazara Express and plan improvements for other services.
He pledged to upgrade all trains by December 2026. Pakistan Railways has begun outreach to Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Chile to export coaches and wagons under a government-to-government framework. The National Logistics Cell will also procure four trains from Pakistan Railways.
Also Read: Imran Khan Files Plea for Release on Medical Grounds
Abbasi said the ministry plans a $2.5 billion investment in ML-2 with support from the National Logistics Cell and DP World. Pakistan Railways has signed a digitalization agreement with the Frontier Works Organization. Authorities will make stations “smart and safe” and install 14 weighbridges to prevent wagon overloading.
He said railway fares remain low and employee salaries are now paid on time. “We are restoring the system step by step,” Abbasi said.
