2 weeks Ago
Apart from a brief period in the early 2010s, when the Pakistan Muslim League (N) government took over Pakistan Railways, this storied department has remained notable for all the wrong reasons. Chronic inefficiency, frequent accidents, and outdated services have kept Pakistan Railways decades behind the rest of the world. Despite that promising phase under the ministry of Saad Rafiq, the institution has since slipped back into stagnation.
Yet, that brief period showed that a turnaround is entirely possible. During Rafiq’s tenure, Pakistan Railways made strides in digitalising operations, improving schedule reliability, and introducing modernised ticketing and reservation systems. These changes immediately boosted revenues and demonstrated that effective management could make a difference.
However, following this progress, neglect once again took hold. Today, the situation has worsened with a 130% hike in procurement costs for Chinese train bogeys, now at Rs. 71 billion.
This inflated cost has brought the railway’s modernisation to a halt. Some argue this is due to the rupee’s depreciation, but it is also a result of initial unrealistic procurement standards, bureaucratic delays, inefficiencies, and allegations of kickbacks, all of which have drained resources. To address these issues, Pakistan must look beyond imports to meet its needs.
Manufacturing train bogeys is neither highly complex nor technologically demanding. If Pakistan can produce main battle tanks, fighter jets, and other advanced machinery, it certainly has the capacity to manufacture train bogeys domestically. Nine fatalities: Nepra imposes Rs23 million fine on Gepco Achieving self-sufficiency through forward-thinking solutions like this is essential to strengthening institutions like Pakistan Railways and boosting the national economy.
Relying solely on costly, piecemeal imports only perpetuates dependency. Sustainable growth requires long-term, self-reliant strategies. Tags: reviving railways.
