ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Railways will undertake a $2.5 billion project to lay a new 480-kilometre railway track between Karachi and Rohri as the first phase of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) project, aiming to improve safety and reduce accidents, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi told the National Assembly on Thursday.
Civil work on the first phase is likely to begin in January 2027, as Pakistan Railways accelerates market consultations, pre-bid preparations and other processes to meet the timeline set by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The Karachi-Rohri and Rohri-Multan sections are among the most accident-prone parts of the railway network, with ageing tracks contributing to derailments and requiring frequent, costly repairs. Pakistan Railways has selected the Karachi-Rohri section for the initial phase of the ML-1 project.
Abbasi said the railway network recorded 349 train derailments between January 2022 and September 2026, with faulty tracks identified as the leading cause.
Staff errors accounted for 95 derailments, while 64 were attributed to defects in rolling stock, he said. Investigations into 331 incidents had been completed, while 120 cases remained pending.
In a written reply, National Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal said Islamabad had reported seven confirmed dengue cases between June and September 2026, with no deaths recorded during the period.
Authorities had registered 214 first information reports over violations of anti-dengue standard operating procedures, while preventive measures targeting mosquito larvae had been carried out at more than 1.293 million sites, he said.
The National Assembly was also informed that a national strategy to combat HIV had been developed for 2026-2031.
Meanwhile, a programme providing free screening, diagnosis and treatment for eligible people aged 12 and above was under way to eliminate hepatitis C. In Islamabad, 40 health centres were providing services under the programme.
During the session, the Privatisation Commission (Amendment) Bill 2026 and the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Ordinance 2026 were laid before the house. A standing committee report on the Islamabad Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2026 was also presented.
The National Assembly passed the Life Insurance Nationalisation (Amend-ment) Bill 2026.
