Dr. Ikramul Haq & Engineer Arshad H Abbasi
At the World Economic Forum, the Prime Minister of Pakistan expressed deep concern over the country’s deteriorating energy landscape, lamenting that the power sector had turned Pakistan into a “begging bowl.” He stressed that, combined with the escalating threat of climate change, this situation had placed Pakistan in a miserable standing within the global community. Yet, despite the urgency, these stark warnings seem disconnected from the priorities of key ministers. The gap between the government’s stated vision and actual actions is glaring—particularly within the Ministry of Railways.
A prime example of this misalignment is the Ministry’s recent renovation of Lahore Railway Station, publicised with polished images of shiny floors, repainted walls, and revamped waiting rooms. While aesthetically pleasing, such cosmetic changes fail to address the deep-rooted operational problems strangling Pakistan Railways.
The core issue is that large portions of the railway network—most notably the Main Line 1 (ML-1) corridor (Peshawar to Karachi)—have not undergone meaningful upgrades in over 150 years. This corridor is the backbone of Pakistan’s rail system, yet its condition poses both safety and efficiency risks. The dangers were made tragically clear when, just days after the station’s renovation, over 30 passengers were seriously injured as the Islamabad Express derailed near Kala Shah Kaku due to dilapidated tracks.
Much of Pakistan’s rail infrastructure still consists of track laid during British colonial rule in the late 19th century, originally designed for lighter trains and lower speeds. Current operational data from Pakistan Railways shows that the maximum safe speed on most mainline sections is between 90 and 120 km/h. This is far below the 160–300 km/h speeds achieved in modern systems in China, Turkey, and even parts of India. The reliance on old-jointed tracks, outdated signalling systems, and inadequate maintenance not only limits speed but also heightens derailment risks and raises operational costs.
True modernisation must start with replacing these obsolete tracks—especially along the Peshawar–Karachi corridor—with continuous welded rail and upgraded signalling. Such improvements could enable speeds exceeding 200 km/h, cutting Karachi–Lahore passenger travel time from more than 18 hours to under 8 hours. This transformation would also make freight rail far more competitive with road transport, which currently dominates due to the railway’s slowness and unreliability.
However, the issue extends beyond speed to the very energy that powers the network. Pakistan Railways currently depends heavily on diesel locomotives, consuming over 200 million liters annually. This consumption adds significantly to Pakistan’s petroleum import bill, which, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, reached US$17.6 billion in the fiscal year 2023, with transport—including rail—accounting for a major portion.
It is worth recalling that Pakistan once operated electrified services: started in 1966, the 290 kilometres Lahore–Khanewal route was electrified with a 25 kV AC system, supported by over 30 locomotives of 3,000 horsepower. Unfortunately, the service was abandoned around 2011 due to acute power shortages.
Reviving and expanding electrification is not just a technical possibility but an economic necessity. Restarting the Lahore–Khanewal electrified line would cut diesel consumption, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and utilise domestically generated electricity—helping to reduce the circular debt in the energy sector. Electrifying the entire ML-1 corridor from Peshawar to Karachi could slash railway diesel demand by as much as 80%, saving hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
The financial stakes are high. As of March 2025, the Ministry of Energy reported Pakistan’s circular debt at Rs. 2.64 trillion. By shifting rail transport from imported diesel to locally generated electricity—especially from renewable sources like hydro, wind, and solar—the burden on the national energy system would ease. Environmentally, electrification could reduce CO₂ emissions by over 600,000 tonnes annually compared to diesel-powered operations, directly contributing to Pakistan’s Paris Agreement commitments.
Undeniably, the costs of full electrification and track replacement are substantial. The ML-1 modernization project under the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework carries an estimated price tag of US$6.8 billion. Yet this should be seen as a long-term investment in the nation’s economic spine, promising sustained benefits in speed, reliability, and reduced dependence on costly fuel imports.
In contrast, the Lahore station renovation consumed hundreds of millions of rupees but delivered no operational improvements—trains still crawl along outdated tracks, still burn imported diesel, and still run on infrastructure that should have been replaced decades ago.
This reflects a recurring flaw in political decision-making: prioritizing projects that are visible within a single political term over those that deliver enduring structural benefits. The Railway Minister’s decision to focus on station aesthetics rather than network efficiency epitomizes spending for appearance over performance.
International precedents prove that the correct approach is to focus first on the fundamentals. China became the world leader in high-speed rail only after systematically replacing tracks, electrifying main lines, and installing modern signalling. Turkey modernised its intercity lines before undertaking station upgrades, and Spain’s AVE high-speed network was only developed once core infrastructure was ready. These examples make clear that stations should follow track and power upgrades—not precede them.
If Pakistan were to adopt this proven sequence, the path forward would be clear. The first step must be to replace the century-old tracks on the Peshawar–Karachi route to support train speeds above 200 km/h. Once this backbone is secure, the Lahore–Khanewal section should be electrified as a pilot project, relying on domestically generated electricity to sharply reduce diesel imports and emissions.
Following successful implementation, electrification should be extended across the ML-1 corridor, maximising cost savings, environmental benefits, and the reduction of circular debt. Only after these structural improvements are complete should large-scale station refurbishments be undertaken, ensuring that upgraded facilities match the performance of the trains and tracks they serve.
The economic case for such a strategy is strong. A modernized Peshawar–Karachi corridor would draw substantial freight business away from road transport, alleviating highway congestion and reducing road maintenance costs. Quicker, more reliable passenger services would enhance city-to-city connectivity, stimulating tourism, trade, and investment. Electrification would also shield Pakistan from volatility in global oil markets while reinforcing its climate and energy security commitments.
Without such a shift from short-term visibility to long-term viability, Pakistan’s railway system will remain mired in inefficiency. Passengers will continue to step onto trains from refurbished platforms, only to endure slow, outdated, and costly journeys along antiquated tracks. The government’s real choice is not between improving tracks or stations—it is between building a modern railway system that delivers tangible national benefits and maintaining one that wastes public funds for appearances.
Electrifying the Peshawar–Karachi railway is therefore not a matter of preference but of national urgency. It offers a direct path to reducing circular debt, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, cutting diesel imports, and positioning Pakistan’s transport sector for a more sustainable, secure, and competitive future.
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Dr. Ikramul Haq, Advocate Supreme Court, Adjunct Faculty at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), member Advisory Board and Visiting Senior Fellow of Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), holds LLD in tax laws. He was full-time journalist from 1979 to 1984 with Viewpoint and Dawn. He also served Civil Services of Pakistan from 1984 to 1996.
Engineer Arshad H. Abbasi, water and climate change expert, is co-founder of Energy Excellence Centres at NUST and UET Peshawar.