ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Railways’ westward expansion plans gained momentum on Thursday when lawmakers were informed that the cost of the Basima-Jacobabad rail section has been reassessed to $4.7 billion, with the acquisition of 13 acres of land already underway, marking an important step towards improved rail connectivity in Balochistan and beyond.
The update was shared with the Senate Standing Committee on Railways amid deliberations on connecting Gwadar to the national rail network, including the Main Line-1 project and potential regional links through ML-3.
Meanwhile, preparations to connect Gwadar with the Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway project have entered a critical phase, with the feasibility study for the long-planned project now complete.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Jam Saifullah Khan at Parliament House, reviewed several developmental, administrative and financial matters relating to PR, including the proposed Gwadar rail link project and its connectivity with Quetta.
Officials informed the committee that the feasibility study for connecting Gwadar with the main railway had been completed and subsequently reviewed by an international firm. Preparations are underway to submit the project to the Railway Board for formal approval.
Funding options being considered include government resources as well as partnerships with mining companies.
Authorities said direct rail link between Gwadar and Balochistan’s mineral-rich regions would significantly boost mineral exports. The committee was also briefed on the possibility of connecting Nokundi with ML-3 which would provide rail access to Iran, Turkey and Russia.
Officials added that activation of the Gwadar route would reduce traffic pressure at Karachi Port.
Following the completion of the feasibility study for the Basima-Jacobabad railway section, the project cost has been reassessed to $4.7 billion, while the acquisition process for 13 hectares of land has already begun.
Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi told the committee that funding for the ML-1 project would now be secured from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) instead of China.
He said detailed design and prequalification was underway and the project’s groundbreaking was expected in July. He added that PR adopted a public-private partnership model for its projects and that for the first time provinces had been formally offered participation in branch railway lines.
The meeting also witnessed strong reactions from lawmakers as Senator Rubina Khalid expressed serious frustration that cases resolved a year and a half ago were being reopened, calling poor inter-ministerial coordination a waste of time and resources.
A heated exchange took place between Senator Nasir Butt and the Railway Minister over the cancellation of a tender.
Senator Butt demanded transparency and fixation of accountability, while Abbasi rejected any allegation of personal favouritism, saying the tender had been canceled purely due to irregularities.
The committee expressed serious concern over illegal encroachments on railway land, non-implementation of Supreme Court orders and non-recovery of land worth billions of rupees. It recommended clearing the title of railway land and disposing of it through transparent auctions.
