Pakistan Railways (PR) has taken a proactive stance in a significant endeavor to recover valuable land holdings, estimated to be worth billions of Pakistani Rupees. This development, as per the report, reflects a concerted effort by PR to regain control of a vast expanse of land covering approximately 13,972 acres. This expansive land includes areas designated for commercial, residential, and agricultural purposes, all of which have been occupied unlawfully for an extended period.
A senior official from the Ministry disclosed that PR has chosen to bolster its ongoing anti-encroachment campaigns, which aim to combat the illegal occupation of railway land by individuals, groups, and business entities.
These encroachers have been utilizing the land for various activities, including residential, commercial, and agricultural endeavors. To streamline these efforts, the Ministry has issued comprehensive procedural guidelines to all Divisional Superintendents of Pakistan Railways. These directives instruct them to take assertive measures to reclaim railway land that has fallen into the hands of encroachers.
In tandem with these directives, anti-encroachment operations are already in progress throughout the railway network. Encroachers have been served notices in accordance with the Possession Ordinance of 1965, mandating that they vacate railway land and any structures erected on it within a stipulated timeframe of 14 days.
A breakdown of the illegally occupied land reveals the following statistics: 5,809 acres in Punjab, 1,181 acres in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 5,948 acres in Sindh, and 1,034 acres in Balochistan. This encroachment spans across different land usage categories, including 769 acres of commercial land, 3,309 acres of residential land, 5,512 acres of agricultural land, and an additional 4,382 acres encroached upon by various individuals or government departments.
Pakistan Railways’ resolute pursuit of reclaiming its land holdings underscores the importance of preserving and utilizing public assets for their intended purposes. This proactive initiative is not only expected to recoup significant financial resources but also to enhance the efficiency and viability of the country’s railway infrastructure