The Senate Standing Committee on Railways has addressed critical challenges plaguing Pakistan Railways (PR), including recruitment irregularities, pension reforms, and security vulnerabilities.
The session chaired by Senator Jam Saifullah Khan at Parliament House saw active participation from Senators and senior officials, who underscored the urgent need for systemic improvements.
The committee raised alarms over contractual recruitments, calling for transparency and merit-based hiring.
Senator Shahadat Awan emphasized the necessity of converting contractual roles into permanent positions, a move aimed at ensuring job security for thousands of employees.
The chairman directed the submission of a detailed report on recent transfers within the department, signaling a push for accountability.
The PR secretary revealed a staggering workforce gap, with only 58,000 employees against a required 95,000.
He also highlighted the financial unsustainability of the current pension policy, formulated in 2015.
The committee recommended exploring international recruitment models for railways police and proposed a contributory pension system to ease the government's financial burden.
Security concerns took centre stage as Senator Awan pointed out a shortage of 3,000 railway police personnel and inadequate equipment.
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