ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways plans to outsource the commercial operation of 13 additional passenger trains by December 31, 2026, as it expands private-sector participation under a broader restructuring of passenger services.
Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi said the advertising and contract-award process would be completed over the coming months. Six passenger trains are already being operated commercially by private parties.
The move does not amount to privatisation of the railway network. Pakistan Railways will continue to control the wider rail infrastructure and system, while selected passenger services will be managed by private operators under contractual arrangements.
The approach forms part of the ministry’s wider reform programme, which identifies performance-based outsourcing of selected passenger trains as a way to improve service standards and reduce the administrative burden on the state-run railway.
Which 13 Trains Will Be Outsourced?
The next outsourcing round covers the following passenger services:
| No. | Train |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sandal |
| 2 | Allama Iqbal Express |
| 3 | Faiz Ahmad Faiz |
| 4 | Fareed Express |
| 5 | Sukkur Express |
| 6 | Babu Passenger |
| 7 | Bulleh Shah Passenger |
| 8 | Mohenjodaro Express |
| 9 | Lasani Express |
| 10 | Sialkot Express |
| 11 | Karachi Express |
| 12 | Bahauddin Zakariya Express |
| 13 | Tezgam |
Maintenance Drive Runs Alongside Outsourcing
Pakistan Railways is also stepping up maintenance work as it moves ahead with the outsourcing programme.
Abbasi said officials had been directed to bring faulty or “dummy” coaches and wagons back into service and replace defective brake cylinders, brake blocks and shoes.
Vendors responsible for delays in supplying equipment and materials could face blacklisting.
The minister has also ordered the installation of modern CCTV systems and deployment of private security at railway workshops and yards. Locomotives undergoing repair must also be restored within prescribed schedules.
Track renewal work in the Sukkur division has been given a December 31 deadline. Pakistan Railways expects the improvements to cut operational time by around 90 minutes.
Repairs to the flood-damaged Mian Kallar Bridge on the Lahore-Faisalabad route have also been ordered within 60 days.
Why Pakistan Railways Is Outsourcing More Trains
For passengers, the impact of outsourcing will depend on whether private commercial management results in cleaner coaches, more reliable services, improved onboard facilities and better punctuality rather than merely changing responsibility for ticketing and commercial operations.
For Pakistan Railways, the policy also has a financial dimension.
Abbasi said freight revenue had exceeded passenger revenue for the first time and projected that passenger and freight operations could generate around Rs120 billion during the current fiscal year.
Outsourcing another 13 trains would significantly expand the private sector’s role in Pakistan’s passenger railway business. The effect on travellers, however, will depend on contract performance, regulatory oversight and service standards.