Islamabad the, 10th October, 2019; 8th meeting of the Standing Committee on Railways was held today under the Chairmanship of Mr. Muhammad Mueen Wattoo, MNA, in Committee Room M/o Railways, D-Block, Pak-Secretariat, Islamabad.

The Committee commenced with the recitation from the Holy Quran. The Committee approved the Minutes of its lasting meeting dated 8th July, 2019 with little bit of observation on the direction of agenda item (viii) regarding appointment of lower staff in Railways through computerized balloting. The Secretary M/o Railways ensured the Committee that the appointment in Railways are made strictly under the rules, regulations and policy of the Government, however, he further assured that the complaints of the Members will be addressed and be briefed in the next meeting. A comprehensive briefing was made by the M/o of Railways on China Economic Corridor (CPEC), and informed the Committee that the said project was approved in 2015 however, PC-I is under approval with the Planning Division as the said project is on priority list of the Government. The said projects have been financing by our brotherly country China and Pakistan with the share of 85% and 15% respectively. The project will be completed within five years time after its initiation and with the expected interest on Chinese loan up to 2% or less than 2. The Ministry further informed the Committee that the said project not only boost the speed of train upto 120 to 160 K.M per hour but also enhanced the number of trains from 34 to 171.

The M/o Railways while briefing on the agenda item (iv) regarding latest survey and information about the land belonging to Railways,  informed the committee that railway currently owned 167,690 land and  generated the revenue by leasing the land through open auction for the period of five years strictly in line of the decision of Supreme Court of Pakistan for different purposes like agriculture, commercial.  During briefing, the Committee was also informed that Railways land has also been encroached by the Kachi Abadis and others illegally. Railways have strictly engaged the encroaches by taking legal measures against them. The Chairman in consultation with committee proposed to constitute Sub-committees on the issue of encroachment of lands and allied matters.

While discussing the agenda item (v) regarding the grant of technical allowance to the graduate engineers of Pakistan Railways in lines with the technical allowances granted to the engineers of two provinces, have been considered and unanimously recommended that M/o Finance may proceed in the proposal as the expenditure incurred therein will be born from the revenue generated the Railways itself.