PR may offer 22 more trains to private sector

E-Paper | May 02, 2026

LAHORE: The Pakistan Railways (PR) will soon be inviting the private sector to operate another 22 passenger trains, `not generating enough revenue to meet their variable costs’ under the state-run organisation.

A decision to this effect was taken in May 2012, but was deferred owing primarily to acute shortage of locomotives, a senior railways ministry officer told Dawn on Sunday.

Also read: 20 locomotives arrive from China

Under the public-private partnership policy of the government, the private sector would be offered commercial management and passenger facilitation of 14 express, four passenger, one each rail car, mail, mixed and shuttle trains.

“Marked for being outsourced, operation of five trains had been suspended while the remaining 17 are among the total 51 trains the PR is operating at present,” said the officer.

Take a look: Reshaping railway a Herculean task

The suspended trains are Super Express (running between Karachi and Faisalabad, through Multan), Shahsawar Express (Lahore-Narowal), Kundian Express (Sargodha-Kundian), Peshawar Passenger (Lahore-Peshawar) and Marvi Express (Hyderabad-Mirpur Khas-Khokhrapar).

Still running the `loss-making’ trains with their route in parenthesis are Bolan Mail (Karachi city-Quetta), Khushhal Khan Khattak Express (Karachi city-Peshawar Cantt through Mianwali), Akbar Bugti Express (Lahore-Quetta through Faisalabad), Jaffar Express (Quetta-Rawalpindi through Lahore), Subak Kharam rail car (Lahore-Rawalpindi), Badar Express (Lahore-Faisalabad), Ghouri Express (Lahore-Faisalabad), Ravi Express (Lahore-Shorkot), Sargodha Express (Lahore-Sargodha), Mehr Express (Multan-Rawalpindi), Chenab Express (Sargodha-Lala Musa), Sandal Express (Multan-Sargodha through Jhang), Badin Express (Hyderabad-Badin), Babu Passenger (Lahore-Wazirabad), Chaman Mixed (Quetta-Chamman) and Zahidan Passenger (Quetta-Zahidan), Karachi Shuttle (Karachi-Malir).

“The move will not affect service of any employee,” said the officer when asked about the fate of the PR commercial and transport wing which makes up over 33pc of its functioning.

The involvement of private sector in the commercial management and passenger facilitation of three passenger trains running between Sindh and Punjab capitals has been a success story.

“Did the Shalamar Express, Night Coach and to some extent Business Express joint ventures under public-private partnership affect any railway employee? Under the public service obligations (PSOs), there are certain routes and services where the private sector cannot be involved,” said the officer.

Published in Dawn January 12th , 2014

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Salman Khan

Jan 12, 2015 07:37am

Lets open this sector for international investors. Soon, Pakistan Railway would be funded by Ambani and Tata.

Recommend 0

Abdul Rehman, U.S.A.

Jan 12, 2015 08:00am

The government should offer the private investors and capital venturists to buy and run their own trains run on the government existing rail tracks with nominal fees. These private companies will generate profit and give a good services to their passengers.

Recommend 0

nasim paracha

Jan 12, 2015 08:06am

v r against privitization of trains as the train running under govt are performing much better then private ones.uptill now the private trains failed to give reduction in fares ,nor they concession as allowed in better run govt trains

Recommend 0

Sattar

Jan 12, 2015 10:32am

move in the right direction. Private run trains are much better, cleaner, more comfortable. Need to move quickly and invest more on infrastructure to make train travel in Pakistan more reliable, speedy and comfortable!

Recommend 0

khanm

Jan 12, 2015 10:38am

why not privatize the whole railway sector... The inefficient government is not capable of running any thing... i would rather take a bold step and privatize the entire country's running affairs.. Many people want the government to protect the consumer. A much more urgent problem is to protect the consumer from the government.

Recommend 0

think_then_speak

Jan 12, 2015 10:52am

In India railway is assisting in transport burden to a large extent. In Pakistan privatizing part of it would be a relief to the common population in Pakistan.

Recommend 0

MalikSaabSays

Jan 12, 2015 11:06am

Why dont they privatise the whole country while they're at it? Or maybe just privatise the government itself? Maybe its already all privatised since they're working more for mafias than the public.

Recommend 0

Sailani

Jan 12, 2015 11:36am

@nasim paracha If the Government ran the trains efficiently then PR would not be running in a loss. Their mismanagement, stealing train parts to sell as Iron and employing more people then needed to run the trains on time has not worked. Very few people are honest, even the ticket seller is dis-honest, he will charge you more than the fare. Let the people who can handle business run the trains. Look at what PIA has become and efficient working airlines now cannot pay its bills and expects the Government to bail them out.

Recommend 0

sathishbabu

Jan 12, 2015 12:11pm

Only 51 Trains operating in Whole pakistan? india is operation around 8400 trains on daily basis . Better learn management from india.

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sharabi

Jan 12, 2015 01:10pm

@Salman Khan Financed by Ambani & Tata? World Largest steel corp. Arcelormittal was interested for investing a huge amount(in Billions) along with establishing a city with modern infrastructure to send coal supply to its East European plants from Thar region but offer was blindly turn down by Pak Authorities, i have come across a report that Arcelormittal investment would create 22000 skilled & other 55000-70000 unskilled & indirect jobs. You know why? because owner of Arcelormittal is LN Mittal an Indian.

Recommend 0

Jan 12, 2015 01:32pm

Just few months back Saad Rafique was boasting heavy profits and railway doing all time best!

Recommend 0

jay patel

Jan 12, 2015 02:03pm

@khanm If Pakistan is offered to be sold, only the share listed by Ambani companies in BSEis sufficient to buy entire Pakistan.

Recommend 0

Ajamal

Jan 12, 2015 02:37pm

Funds generated through public private partnership should be earmarked to improving infrastructure since most of it was built pre-partition. Railway tracks badly need investments if train speed and safety is to be improved.

Recommend 0

Sam

Jan 12, 2015 03:25pm

@jay patel Hehe! Zada hogaya ab

Recommend 0

Aurora

Jan 12, 2015 05:58pm

Pak rail of today does not deserve any comment.It has been eaten out badly.

Recommend 0

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