Standing Body on Railways Expresses Displeasure Over Jaffer Express Probe Delay

News Desk

Islamabad: The Standing Committee on Railways on Tuesday voiced its displeasure over the absence of the Secretary, Ministry of Interior, from an important meeting and directed the Ministry to ensure his presence in the next session.

The committee convened its 8th meeting at the Ministry of Railways in Islamabad under the chairmanship of MNA Rai Hassan Nawaz Khan.

The meeting commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran, following which the committee decided to hold an in-camera briefing on the Jaffer Express incident.

The briefing is to be provided by the Minister for Railways, the Inspector General of Pakistan Railways Police, and the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Interior.

The committee lauded the bravery and professionalism of the security forces involved in the rescue operation and resolved to receive a further briefing from the Interior Secretary in the next meeting.

Following the in-camera session, the media was allowed to cover the proceedings as the committee moved on to its agenda. The Secretary Railway Board provided updates on two major ongoing projects: the procurement and manufacturing of 820 high-capacity freight wagons and 230 passenger carriages, as well as the Thar Rail Connectivity Project.

According to the Secretary, the approved cost for 820 high-capacity wagons was initially Rs. 9.48 billion, but it has now been revised to Rs. 17.57 billion.

Of these, 390 remaining wagons are expected to be completed by December 31, 2025, with enhancements in carrying capacity, operational speed, axle load, and gross load.

Similarly, the cost of 230 passenger coaches, initially set at Rs. 21.71 billion, has surged to Rs. 53.39 billion, with 184 remaining coaches scheduled for completion by June 30, 2027. These coaches have been significantly upgraded in terms of standard and load capacity.

The committee was also briefed on the Thar Rail Connectivity Project, which received administrative approval on May 9, 2024, at a total cost of Rs. 53.72 billion.

The project, scheduled for completion within two years, is being executed as a joint venture between Pakistan Railways and the Sindh governmnet, with both entities sharing the costs equally.

During the briefing, the Ministry presented video footage and pictorial representations of the mega projects to the committee members.