Month: July 2026

Lahore: Railways Minister Muhammad Hanif Abbasi said on Monday that Pakistan Railways had achieved a historic financial turnaround by earning Rs115 billion and posting its first profit in the institution’s 78-year history, attributing the achievement to improved governance, better utilization of rolling stock and reforms in freight and passenger operations.

Addressing a press conference here, the minister said that Pakistan Railways had earned a record Rs41 billion from freight operations, while the outsourcing of five passenger trains to the private sector had generated Rs3 billion in revenue. Encouraged by the results, the government planned to privatize additional train services, he added. Hanif Abbasi said seven power plants of Pakistan Railways were being rehabilitated and would become operational by September 30, while 16 more power plants would be procured through the department’s own revenue. He said 80 power plants would be inducted into the railway system by March 23 next year to improve operational efficiency.

The minister said three new rakes for Awam Express had already arrived, while the refurbishment of Karakoram Express, Millat Express and other passenger trains would be completed by June 2027 to provide improved travel facilities. The minister, highlighting infrastructure development, said the up-gradation of Main Line-1 (ML-1), Main Line-2 (ML-2) and Main Line-3 (ML-3) was essential for the future of Pakistan Railways. He added that discussions with the Asian Development Bank on ML-1 were progressing and the project would soon be inaugurated by the Prime Minister.

The completion of ML-1 would reduce travel time between Rohri and Karachi by about five hours, he added. Hanif Abbasi said ML-2 would be developed through a public-private partnership model. He also announced that eight new branch railway lines would be constructed across the provinces for the first time to extend rail connectivity to rural areas. The minister said the Baluchistan government had provided funds for the proposed People’s Train project, while agreements on two railway routes in Sindh would be signed shortly.

He said Rohri Junction would be reconstructed on modern lines, while state-of-the-art guard rooms would be established at Khanewal, Kotri, Rohri, Lahore and Peshawar after the successful completion of a modern guard room and rest area in Rawalpindi. Referring to staff welfare, the minister said Pakistan Railways had cleared GP Fund payments amounting to Rs500 million. He added that old and unsafe railway residential quarters would be replaced. He also said railway schools were providing quality education, while railway hospitals would be outsourced under a public-private partnership model to ensure free medical treatment for nearly 2.5 million railway employees and their families.

The minister said Pakistan Railways had also accelerated its digital transformation programme, with the first phase already completed and the second phase expected to conclude by December 31. Hanif Abbasi said the department had set an ambitious freight revenue target of Rs65 billion and passenger revenue target of Rs60 billion for the next fiscal year. To a question, the minister said that railway accidents had declined compared to last year due to improved operational management.

He rejected allegations of favouritism in awarding contracts, saying all contracts were awarded through transparent open auctions. He said the auction of railway land at Badami Bagh, which had been challenged in courts, generated around Rs450 million instead of the earlier estimated Rs52 million, demonstrating the transparency and effectiveness of the auction process.

The minister also said he had voluntarily stopped using the ministerial saloon coach except on one occasion, despite it having been routinely used in the past. He further maintained that he had not issued a single complimentary railway ticket even to any employee working at his residence, underscoring his commitment to transparency and financial discipline in the department. ‘No favourite has been given any contract during my tenure. We will protect every single rupee of Pakistan Railways,’ he added.

Lahore: A young girl sustained injuries after a wall collapsed near Eidgah in Raja Bhola Village, Guru Mangat Pind area of Lahore on Monday, according to Rescue 1122.

A spokesperson said the emergency service received a call reporting the wall collapse and immediately dispatched rescue vehicles and personnel to the scene.

According to the caller, a group of children was sitting near the wall when it suddenly collapsed, leaving one girl injured.

Rescue personnel provided first aid to the injured child at the scene and continued rescue and relief operations, the spokesperson added.

Lahore: Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Lahore Karim Dad Chughtai on Monday held an open revenue court (Khuli Kuchehry) at the DC Office, where he heard complaints relating to land ownership, property disputes and revenue records, resolving several cases on the spot. A large number of citizens attended the open court along with the relevant revenue officials to seek redress of their grievances regarding land partition, correction of revenue records and other property-related matters.

During the proceedings, numerous cases were presented, while decisions on several complaints were made after examining the statements of the applicants and scrutinizing the relevant revenue records. Speaking on the occasion, Karim Dad Chughtai said the purpose of holding open revenue courts was to provide timely relief to citizens and save them from lengthy and complicated legal proceedings.

He said all pending land partition cases were being decided in the shortest possible time, while court decisions relating to property matters were being implemented promptly and in full. The ADC (Revenue) said complaints regarding correction of revenue records were also being addressed without delay to ensure transparency and protect the legal rights of property owners. He said the district administration was utilizing all available administrative resources to facilitate citizens in matters relating to land ownership and property rights.

Karim Dad Chughtai said the revenue system had been restructured with a citizen-centric approach to improve service delivery and provide quick, transparent and efficient resolution of public grievances. He added that transparency in revenue records and public satisfaction remained the district administration’s foremost priority and the true measure of success in revenue reforms.

Lahore: Pakistan Police wheelchair handball team delivered an impressive performance to win the silver medal at the National A4 Wheelchair Handball Tournament.

A police spokesperson said on Monday, teams from Islamabad, Punjab, Sindh and other parts of the country participated in the tournament, where players competed at a high standard.

The spokesperson said Pakistan Police players Khan Vains, Shahid Bhatti and Nazia were declared the best players of the tournament in recognition of their outstanding performances. Other players who excelled during the event were also awarded honorary shields and cash prizes.

Congratulating the team on its achievement, Punjab IG Abdul Kareem lauded the players for their remarkable performance and winning the silver medal.

He said the department was proud of the players for bringing honour to the Pakistan Police through their achievements at national and international sporting events and expressed confidence that they would continue to excel with the same dedication and determination.

Pakistan Police Sports Board Director General Additional IGP Imran Arshad and Chief Sports Officer, DIG Athar Ismail Amjad also congratulated the team and appreciated the players’ hard work, commitment and sportsmanship.

Lahore: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration Lahore Airport on Monday offloaded two passengers after detecting forged immigration stamps on their passports during the immigration clearance process.

According to an FIA spokesperson, Hayat Khan was scheduled to depart from Lahore for Colombo on flight UL-186, while Zameen Khan was scheduled to depart from Lahore for Kuala Lumpur on flight OD-132.

The spokesperson said immigration officials identified fake immigration stamps on the passports of both passengers during routine scrutiny, preventing them from boarding their respective flights.

The suspects were handed over to the Anti Human Trafficking Circle (AHTC), Lahore, for further investigation and legal action.

Lahore: Former president of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry and founder of the US-Pakistan Joint Business Council Iftikhar Ali Malik on Monday extended warm greetings and heartfelt congratulations to the government and people of the United States on the occasion of the country’s 250th Independence Anniversary.

In a statement issued here, he said the historic milestone reflected the enduring strength of democratic values, constitutional governance, innovation and the resilience of the American people. He wished the US leadership and people continued peace, progress, prosperity and success in the years ahead.

He said the United States had played a significant role in global economic development, technological advancement, education and humanitarian efforts.

Expressing optimism about the future of bilateral relations, he said stronger trade, investment, innovation and people-to-people contacts would further deepen Pakistan-US ties and create new opportunities for shared prosperity.

He said Pakistan and the United States enjoyed a long-standing relationship based on mutual respect and shared interests, adding that the private sector could serve as a strong bridge for enhancing economic cooperation, promoting entrepreneurship and expanding business partnerships.

Reaffirming his commitment to strengthening commercial relations through the US-Pakistan Joint Business Council, he said sustained collaboration between the business communities of both countries would help unlock new avenues for economic growth and mutual benefit.