LAHORE: Pakistan Railways has declared an operational emergency until December 31 following a series of train accidents and derailments, including a recent incident near Multan that resulted in passenger deaths and injuries.
Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi announced the measures on Saturday, October 24, directing officers and staff to address operational shortcomings and improve the safety of passenger and freight services nationwide.
Under the emergency plan, officers and officials will not be allowed to avail themselves of public holidays or routine leave, except medical leave. Saturdays and Sundays will also be treated as working days until the deadline. The minister warned that disciplinary action would be taken against officials who failed to comply with the directives.
The minister said the measures would remain in force until deficiencies involving passenger coaches, freight wagons, locomotives, signalling systems and other railway infrastructure had been addressed.
Officials have also been instructed to monitor train operations in the field. Chief engineers of the civil and mechanical departments must submit daily progress reports to the ministry, while the head of the safety department has been directed to provide regular updates on safety-related matters.
In another major directive, Pakistan Railways has made train travel mandatory for officers undertaking official visits to other cities. Air travel and the use of official vehicles for such trips have been prohibited, according to a notification issued on Saturday.
Abbasi said he would personally travel by railcar between Rawalpindi and Lahore until December 31 to monitor progress and demonstrate compliance with the new policy. He added that air travel would be permitted only in cases of extreme emergency.
The minister announced that all defective passenger coaches and freight wagons, including those with faulty or non-functional braking systems, would be removed from service until they were declared fit for operation.
He said spare parts for coaches, wagons and locomotives had begun arriving, including 36,000 brake cylinders. Railway officials have been instructed to accelerate repair and maintenance work to address a backlog that the minister said had accumulated over the past decade.
Abbasi directed the relevant departments to ensure that all defective rolling stock was restored to operational condition by December 31, adding that the objective was to have all faulty coaches, wagons and locomotives ready for service from January 2027.
According to the minister, technical assessments of 1,546 passenger coaches and freight wagons have been completed, while inspections of approximately 3,000 remaining units are scheduled to conclude by November 10.
He also instructed railway workshops to manufacture locally any spare parts that could be produced domestically. Officials have been given a November 30 deadline to meet requirements for concrete and wooden railway sleepers.
Pakistan Railways has reported several accidents and derailments in recent months, including seven incidents in July alone. The newly announced emergency measures aim to address maintenance deficiencies, strengthen operational oversight and improve safety across the railway network.
