ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Railways on Wednesday informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Railways that as many as 46 out of 230 coaches imported from China, had reached Pakistan and were running on the track satisfactorily.
The meeting of the committee, chaired by MNA Muhammad Mueen Wattoo in the Committee Room of Divisional Superintendent Railways, Multan, took notice of the billboards installed without permission and the railways had no income from them and recommended bringing them into the tax net.
In the report submitted by the Ministry of Railways about the Calling Attention Notice moved by MNA Qadir Khan Mandokhail regarding handing over the administration of Railways school near Kala Pull, Karachi to TCF/ICWS discussed in detail but the mover who participated via video link was not satisfied and the committee decided to hold the meeting at Karachi for a site visit in near future.
Divisional Superintendent, (DS) Railways, Multan said while briefing the committee that 2,236 acre land of railways was encroached in Multan division for residential, commercial, agriculture, and govt departments whereas 5,666 acre land was leased out by Railways for different purposes like agriculture, Kachi Abbadies, and commercial, etc.
While responding to the question, DS Railways Multan replied that commercial encroachment of 89 acre in the Multan division could not be vacated due to litigation but the committee emphasized on its previous direction that encroachment on railways land for commercial purposes should be vacated by using all means and Ministry of Railways, Director General Property & Land and legal directorate were directed to approach the higher courts for the vacation and stay orders but the matter was still pending and nobody had taken care.
He informed that during the year 2021-22, 24.47 acre of land, including 9.10 acre commercial land, was retrieved from the land grabbers. Ministry of Railways has given two and half month time to all divisions of Railways for the vacation of encroached land.
The committee was briefed that Railways track in Sindh, Baluchistan, and Punjab was damaged badly at 10 locations and the same has been rehabilitated from the resources of Pakistan Railways, and train operation is continued successfully.
DS Railways, Lahore informed the committee that the matter for de-sealing of the shops is under process as the occupants of shops were asked by Railways to deposit a fixed amount along with an affidavit as per the approved rent policy.
Ministry of Railways informed the committee that the legal advisor was hired through proper procedure. The MNAs, including Ch Muhammad Hamid Hameed, Muhammad Khan Daha, Ramesh Lal, Dr Muhammad Afzal Khan Dhandla and Pir Syed Fazal Ali Shah Jilani, and the officials of the ministry attended the meeting.
The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to and from the chair.
