Business Recorder
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi on Friday said that Pakistan Railways has achieved a revenue of approximately Rs 93.75 billion up to May 13, 2026, and is striving to reach around Rs 122 billion by the end of the fiscal year 2025-26. In a written reply to a question in the National Assembly, the minister stated that the outsourcing of three passenger trains has already been completed, while another 15 trains are in the process of being outsourced, with an open auction expected in the first week of June 2026. He added that these initiatives under public-private partnership are estimated to generate Rs 24.7 billion annually. Abbasi said Pakistan Railways is also pursuing the commercialisation of various coaching and station-related services, including dining cars, kitchen portions, parking stands, platform tickets, kiosks, restaurants at major stations, station branding, billboards, and other commercial activities. These measures aim to create additional revenue streams and ensure optimal utilisation of available assets. He further noted that expansion of freight operations is under consideration through new commodity-based freight services, including edible oil and automobile trains, expected to commence by December 2026. Extensive marketing campaigns and business development efforts are also underway to increase freight volumes and capture a larger market share. These efforts are expected to help Pakistan Railways achieve – or even surpass – the freight revenue target of Rs 38 billion. The minister highlighted that Pakistan Railways has outsourced 41 luggage and brake vans, boosting revenue from around Rs 1 billion to Rs 6 billion over the last five years. In the freight sector, he said the railways currently transport approximately 22,000 tons of cargo daily via nine freight trains, generating an average daily revenue of about Rs 151 million. Referring to past performance, Abbasi said Pakistan Railways recorded a revenue of Rs 93.601 billion during FY 2024-25, driven by enhanced efficiency, improved resource management, growth in core business activities, and strict financial discipline. Operating expenditures were contained at Rs 91.184 billion through austerity measures and tighter financial controls, resulting in an operating surplus of Rs 2.417 billion. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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