29/07/2026
"Pakistan's Railway Network: Time for Modernisation and Expansion"
The railway sleepers installed on the Attock Khurd Railway Bridge are marked with the year 1950, serving as a reminder of the age of much of Pakistan's railway infrastructure. While the bridge and many other components of the railway network have remained in service for decades, they also highlight the limited expansion and modernisation of the country's rail system.
Pakistan's railway network was largely inherited at independence in 1947. Most of the main railway lines, bridges, stations, and associated infrastructure had originally been constructed during the British colonial period. Since independence, only a small number of new railway lines have been built, while the majority of investment has been directed towards maintaining, rehabilitating, or upgrading the existing network rather than expanding it. Consequently, the railway system has experienced very limited growth despite the country's significant increase in population, urbanisation, and transportation demand.
Railways remain one of the most affordable, energy-efficient, and environmentally sustainable modes of transport for both passengers and freight. A modern and well-connected railway network can reduce road congestion, lower transportation costs, improve road safety by shifting freight from highways to rail, and enhance regional connectivity. It can also strengthen trade, support industrial development, facilitate tourism, and contribute to balanced economic growth across the country.
To meet present and future transportation needs, Pakistan's railway system requires comprehensive reform. This should include the modernisation of ageing tracks, bridges, signalling systems, and rolling stock, as well as the construction of new railway corridors to connect underserved regions and emerging economic centres. Expanding the rail network, introducing faster and more reliable passenger services, increasing freight capacity, and adopting modern railway technologies would significantly improve efficiency and competitiveness.
Sustained investment in railway infrastructure is therefore essential. A modern, expanded, and well-managed railway network would provide affordable and reliable transportation, improve national connectivity, reduce logistics costs, promote sustainable development, and play a vital role in supporting Pakistan's long-term economic and social progress.
(Writes Shahidullah Shahid)
