Senate Body Directs To Present Detailed Report On Railways Old Bridges’ Restoration

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Sep, 2025) The Senate Standing Committee on Railways on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to present a detailed report on restoration of railways’ old bridges in the next meeting.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Jam Saifullah Khan, who welcomed Senator Rubina Khalid, recently joined the committee as a member, said a press release.

The meeting was attended by Senators Dost Ali Jeesar, Kamil Ali Agha, Rubina Khalid, Nasir Mehmood and Shahadat Awan (Mover).

The committee also discussed the flood situation and was informed that while old bridges had largely withstood the impact, some sectors, including Narowal–Sialkot, were temporarily affected but had since been restored.

Senator Shahadat Awan raised the issue of restoring Budhal Express (Rohri–Jacobabad) and the Mandra–Chakwal railway line, stressing that people were forced to spend heavily on road travel due to suspension of these services.

The committee expressed dissatisfaction over the relevant authorities’ failure to make serious efforts for their restoration. It was noted that Mandra–Chakwal section spans 75 km and hosts cement factories, making it a commercially viable route.

Senator Rubina Khalid emphasized the need for improved public awareness of train services through television and social media campaigns.

She also raised concerns regarding the closure of trains in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and called for uniform development of railway infrastructure across all provinces. The chairman announced that the next committee meeting will be held in Peshawar to specifically review railway projects and facilities in KP.

On the matter of outsourcing and public-private partnerships, Senator Rubina Khalid questioned the procedure and rationale behind adopting models not widely practiced internationally. The committee directed the Ministry to provide a thorough briefing on outsourcing policies and practices in the next meeting.

Additionally, Rubina Khalid underscored the strategic importance of the Afghan transit trade and stressed that railway access must be extended to Torkham Pass to strengthen regional connectivity. The committee called for a comprehensive briefing on railway gauges to evaluate which system would best connect Pakistan with neighboring countries.

The committee unanimously directed the Ministry of Railways to ensure complete, timely, and transparent compliance with its directions and to provide thorough reports on all agenda items in the next meeting.