Islamabad: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Railways, led by Rai Hassan Nawaz Khan, has mandated an immediate start to the Mainline-1 (ML-1) rail project, targeting commencement by the end of this year or early next. This directive was issued to accelerate the documentation and preparatory processes necessary for the project’s onset.

According to Zameen.Com, during the committee meeting, Divisional Superintendents from Pakistan Railways—including those from Lahore, Mughalpura, Peshawar, and Rawalpindi divisions—discussed significant challenges, particularly land encroachments and issues in leasing Railways property. They cited inadequate support from district administrations as a major hurdle in conducting anti-encroachment operations effectively.

The committee voiced its discontent with the lack of cooperation from local authorities and has called for increased support from provincial governments to address these challenges decisively. It also stipulated that officers who attended this meeting via Zoom should attend future meetings in person, ensuring more direct involvement in critical discussions. Key committee members, including Ramesh Lal, Waseem Qadir, and Sadiq Ali Memon, were noted as being present.