Pakistan Railways has retrieved 2,826.09 acres of encroached land valued at an estimated Rs21.178 billion across the country, Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi informed the Senate on Friday. He presented the figures during Question Hour as the latest update on Pakistan Railways land retrieval over the past five years.
The minister said the railway administration is following a zero-tolerance approach to illegal occupation of its land and properties. He told the upper house that a Joint Procedure Order—an internal rulebook assigning clear duties—is being enforced in line with Supreme Court directives in Suo Motu Case No. 11/2011.
How the recovery drive works
Under that order, station masters, inspectors of works (IOWs), permanent way inspectors (PWIs) and Pakistan Railway Police personnel are responsible for spotting, reporting and removing encroachments. Abbasi said divisional administrations have been told to run regular anti-encroachment operations. Fresh occupations are to be reported at once under the Joint Procedure Order, then cleared through those operations.
He also said no involvement of Pakistan Railways officials in encroachment activity had been established. Separately, 174 first information reports (FIRs)—police cases—had been registered against people accused of trying to take over railway land.
Province-wise land recovered
Giving a breakdown for 2021-22 to 2025-26, Abbasi said Pakistan Railways land retrieval so far covered 1,235.71 acres in Punjab, 945.84 acres in Sindh, 424.08 acres in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 220.46 acres in Balochistan. Punjab accounted for the largest share of the recovered acreage, followed by Sindh.
The reclaimed parcels include commercial, residential, agricultural and other categories. Their combined estimated value stands at Rs21.178 billion, according to the figures the minister placed before the Senate.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- 2011: The Supreme Court issues directives in Suo Motu Case No. 11/2011 that later guide the Joint Procedure Order on railway land.
- 2021-22 to 2025-26: Pakistan Railways recovers encroached land province by province under the anti-encroachment drive.
- 30 October 2026: Minister Muhammad Hanif Abbasi briefs the Senate during Question Hour on the five-year recovery totals, provincial split, FIRs and enforcement steps.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Pakistan Railways ne pichhle paanch saalon mein 2,826 acre se zyada qabza shuda zameen wapas li hai. Is zameen ki takhmeeni qeemat lagbhag Rs21.178 arab hai. Wazir Hanif Abbasi ne Senate ko bataya ke Punjab mein sab se zyada zameen mili, phir Sindh. Aam logon ke liye yeh is baat ka ishara hai ke railway ki zameen par qabze ke khilaf karwai jari hai aur 174 cases darj ho chuke hain.
