Railway earned Rs2046.5m from leasing of land, NA body told
By Asim Hussain

ISLAMABAD—The National Assembly Standing Committee on Railway was informed that the Pakistan Railway has earned Rs .2046.5 million from leasing of Railway land during last five years.
The committee was held here in the Parliament House on Thursday, Presided over by its Chairman Sardar Tofail Ahmed Khan, Member National Assembly.
The statements of the concerned officers have been recorded except Shafiq Ullah, Divisional Superintendent, and Railways, who is the most officer of this case.
The Committee directed that the statement of Shafiq Ullah, D.S. should be recorded immediately and furnished the final record of the case must be submitted within a week to the Committee.
While discussing the leasing of land, the Committee was informed by the Director Land that surplus Railway land are leased out for commercial purpose to earn revenues and generate funds as per policy decision of the federal government Generally this land leased out for parking Stands, Premium Shop, Khokha Shops, Construction of Officers /Storage for Food Department, Oil Companies, Licensing for Passing/ Crossing of Pipelines/Cables and temporary Licensing upto six months for Miscellaneous purpose.
The Committee was apprised that feasibility study for high-speed double track between Lahore-Rawalpindi is in land. Tender for technical as well as financial proposal were called and open on 31-10-2006. The report submitted by the approved consultant is under scrutiny and the consortium in this regard will give presentation in the first week of October 2007.
The Committee was informed that the inquiry regarding the missing of files relating to Railway Golf Course is under way. The Committee was apprised that during the year 2006-07 the freight business unit of Pakistan Railway earned revenue of Rs .5230 million against variable expenditure of Rs. 2360 million and full expenses of Rs .6510 million.
Thus the freight business Unit earned profit of Rs. 2870 million as compared to variable cost but suffered loss of Rs .1280 million when compared with full cost. Efforts are being made by the Railways to generate more profit in this sector.
The meeting was attended by Members National Assembly, Mohammad Saeed Virk, Pir Mohammad Shah Khagga, Syed Gulzar Sibtain Shah, Mohammad Anwer Bhutto, Tasneem Ahmed Qureshi, Nasim Akhter Choudhry, Mohammad Farooq Azam Malik, Devdas and Senior Officers from Ministry of Railways and Pakistan Railways.