Islamabad: A meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Railways, chaired by Acting Chairman Mr. Ramesh Lal, was convened on Tuesday at Parliament House. The committee examined various issues concerning Pakistan Railways, prominently the Railway Board Bill of 2026, encroachments on railway land in Karachi, and a series of recent railway accidents nationwide.

According to the National Assembly of Pakistan, the committee opted to defer the Railway Board Bill, 2026, to the next meeting. The ministry briefed the committee on the occurrence of 89 railway accidents from January 1 to November 2 this year, slightly fewer than the 92 incidents reported in the same period last year. Issues such as track malfunctions, rolling stock defects, and human errors were identified as major causes. Additionally, factors like ageing infrastructure and inadequate funding were highlighted as contributing to these incidents. Pakistan Railways aims to reduce the accident ratio to below 0.19% as part of its strategic roadmap.

The committee also reviewed the status of land encroachments in Karachi Division. Out of 19,594 acres of railway land, approximately 951 acres are under private encroachment, while 307 acres are encroached upon by the government. The Ministry reported successful retrieval of 363 acres over the past four years and removal of encroachments covering nearly 9 acres, valued at Rs. 305.67 million, between July and October 2026. A schedule for further encroachment removal in November was also presented.

Emphasizing the need for protecting railway land and enhancing safety measures, the committee urged effective coordination with relevant administrations and timely implementation of its recommendations. The meeting was attended by several members of the National Assembly and officers from the Ministry of Railways.