Pakistan Railways

Pakistan Railways
Native name
پاکستان ریلویز
Company typeState-owned enterprise
IndustryRail transport
PredecessorNorth Western State Railway
Pakistan Western Railway
Founded1861 (1861)
Headquarters
Lahore-54010
,
Pakistan
Area served
Pakistan
Key people
Services
Revenue Rs. 48.65 billion (US$170 million) (2020–21)
Rs. −45 billion (US$−160 million) (2018–19)
OwnerGovernment of Pakistan (1947–present)
Number of employees
72,078 (2016–17)
ParentMinistry of Railways
Divisions07
Subsidiaries1
Website
Pakistan Railways (PR)
Operation
Infrastructure companyPakistan Railways (PR)
System length
Total7,789 kilometres (4,840 mi)
Double track1,043 kilometres (648 mi)
Track gauge
Main5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Features
Longest tunnelKhojak Tunnel
No. stations479
Map

Pakistan Railways is the state-owned railway operator in Pakistan. Founded in 1861 as the North Western State Railway and headquartered in Lahore, it owns 7,789 kilometres (4,840 miles) of operational track across Pakistan, stretching from Peshawar to Karachi, offering both freight and passenger services, covering 479 operational stations across Pakistan.

In 2014, the Ministry of Railways launched Pakistan Railways Vision 2026, which seeks to increase PR's share in Pakistan's transportation sector from 4% to 20%, using the Rs. 886.68 billion (US$3.1 billion) China–Pakistan Economic Corridor rail upgrade. The plan includes building new locomotives, development and improvement of current rail infrastructure, an increase in average train speed, improved on-time performance and expansion of passenger services. The first phase of the project was completed in 2017, and the second phase is scheduled for completion by 2021. Among them is the ML-1 project, which will be completed in three phases at a cost of Rs. 1.11 trillion (US$3.8 billion). Until October 2022, these projects have not started construction or tendering.

Pakistan Railways is an active member of the International Union of Railways. In the 2018/19 financial year, Pakistan Railways carried 70 million passengers. Currently, it is suffering from poor maintenance.

Mazhar Ali Shah is the current federal secretary & chairman for Pakistan Railways.