RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister for Railways, Hanif Abbasi, has taken a firm stance against the persistent issue of train delays across the country.

Expressing strong displeasure over repeated disruptions in schedules, he has issued a 10-day ultimatum to railway authorities to restore punctuality and ensure smooth operations without compromise. Failure to comply with, he warned, will lead to departmental action against responsible officials.

An important meeting was held in the ministry with Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi in the chair, in which a detailed review of the timely departure and punctuality of trains across the country was discussed.

It was informed during the meeting that the main reasons for the delay included technical faults along with the late arrival of power plants, due to which passengers could not reach their destinations on time.

The Railways Minister issued strict instructions to all divisions and the Railways Headquarters to immediately resolve the systemic issues of train delays. A 10-day ultimatum has been given to the railway authorities to normalise the running times of trains and make the monitoring system more effective.

The railways minister emphasied that ensuring punctuality of trains along with modernisation and digital transformation should be the top priority of the railways.

He further said: “It is imperative to provide clean stations, better travel facilities and timely arrival of trains. Until passengers reach their destinations on time, the railways cannot be fully restored.”

On this occasion, the railway minister expressed his determination that the new direction of the railways will be based on punctuality, convenience and transparency.

He clarified that ensuring timely departures with upgradation of the railways, digital transformation and modern infrastructure is the top priority to restore the confidence of the passengers in train service.

It was also decided in the meeting that in the future, the monitoring of train departures in the Railways will be made stronger and more transparent, so that the situation of delays does not arise again. This step will not only increase the facilities of the passengers but will also strengthen the reputation of Pakistan Railways.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2025