The Senate Standing Committee of the Senate dealt with the main challenges affecting the Pakistani railway, including employment violations, pension reforms and security concerns. The session, which is chaired by Senator Jam, God blessed Khan in the House of Representatives, witnessed an active participation of members of the Senate and senior officials, who emphasized the need for systematic improvements.
The committee raised concerns about contractual recruitment, and called for more transparency and merit. Senator Awan certificates stressed the importance of converting contractual roles into permanent jobs to ensure job security for thousands of employees. The Chairman of the Committee directed a detailed report on the recent transfers of the departments, indicating more accountability.
During the session, the Pakistani Railways Minister revealed a shortage of workforce from 37,000 employees, with only 58,000 employees compared to 95,000 wanted. It also highlighted the financial strain of the current pension policy, which was formulated in 2015. The committee recommended exploring international railway police recruitment models and proposed a contributing retirement system to reduce the financial burden of the government.
Security concerns were a great axis, as Senator Awan pointed out a shortage of 3,000 railway police officers and insufficient security equipment. The committee imposed the employment of 1,000 additional employees before the feast and called for the installation of modern security tools, including scanners and explosive detectors, in 20 main railway stations.
Budget problems were also examined, especially the frequent review of the ML-1 Project PC-1, which led to great costs. The Ministry of Iron railways confirmed that all continuous projects, including the Thar Coal project, will be completed by June 30, 2025.
The committee reaffirmed its commitment to stimulate the Pakistani railways, and to direct the ministry to submit detailed reports on retirement pension reforms, employment, security measures, and the use of budget.
