• Minister tells NA fencing of Quetta railway station to begin soon
• Health insurance scheme under consideration for govt employees
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly was informed on Friday that the security of trains in Balochistan has been beefed up following the terrorist attack on the Jaffar Express.
Minister of State for Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani told the house during the question hour that the Quetta railway station was set to be fenced. Giving details of enhanced security, he said that as per standard operating procedures (SOPs), two to four Railway police officers are usually assigned to regular trains in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Mr Kayani said that previously, 13 security personnel were deployed on each train in Balochistan — five from the Railway police and eight from Frontier Corps (FC). However, after the recent incidents, security has been further tightened. “Now, each train traveling to Balochistan will have 22 security personnel on board — 11 from the FC and 11 from Railway police,” he said.
The minister said fencing of the Quetta railway station will shortly start, adding that new walk-through gates and scanners were being installed to replace old equipment and improve passenger screening.
Mr Kayani mentioned that a bomb disposal squad was already in place, but its capabilities were being enhanced. He also said that faulty communication systems were being upgraded to ensure smooth operations. Additionally, sniffer dogs were checking Balochistan-bound trains, he said.
Talking about train accidents, the minister said the long-term solution was the completion of the ML-1 project. “This project is being actively pursued. Once completed, it will provide a safer, faster railway system with modern crossings, underpasses, and level crossings,” he said.
Mr Kayani also shared that several railway projects were underway through the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), including major track repairs and maintenance. He said the ML-1 project — a part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor — should have started earlier. “Now, it’s our top priority at both the ministry and government levels.”
The minister added that ML-1 will bring major improvements to Pakistan Railways. “It will reduce accidents, increase the number of trains, and make them faster. Once the project is complete, travel times are expected to drop by 40 per cent, making train journeys safer, quicker, and more efficient for passengers,” he added.
Mr Kayani said a Chinese technical team would soon visit Pakistan to advance the project. He also mentioned that the improvement in the rail infrastructure from Karachi to Hyderabad is part of Package One of the ML-1 upgrade.
He said Pakistan Railways has successfully outsourced the commercial management of multiple trains to private contractors, significantly increasing revenue generation.
Health insurance scheme
Minister of State for National Health Services Mukhtar Ahmad Malik told the house that a proposal to bring a healthcare insurance scheme for federal government employees was under consideration.
He said currently studies were being carried out to determine the treatment facilities to be provided under the scheme.
Responding to a calling-attention notice, Mr Kayani informed the house that the FBR revenue collection during the current fiscal year has increased by 26pc by February. He said the number of tax filers has also increased, while the economic indicators have improved over the last one year.
MNA Sharmila Farooqui in her calling-attention notice had raised the issue of taxes on salaried class.
Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2025
