Pakistan Railways completes second market consultation for ML1 Karachi Rohri upgrade project

Pakistan Railways has successfully completed its second preliminary market consultation for the Karachi to Rohri section of the Main Line 1 upgrade project, carried out with support from the Asian Development Bank, according to a press release issued by the organization’s Lahore headquarters on September 8.

The consultation session brought together 134 participants representing national and international contractors, consultants, equipment suppliers and manufacturers, all involved in discussions related to the planned railway upgrade.

The ML1 Karachi to Rohri upgrade remains a priority initiative for the government of Pakistan, with preparation work being accelerated under the direction of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. Officials say the project aims to modernize the country’s railway infrastructure while improving safety, operational capacity and overall service reliability across the network.

During the session, participants actively shared feedback and suggestions on a range of issues connected to the project, input that officials said would help shape the procurement strategy and strengthen ongoing preparation efforts. Organizers described the strong turnout from market representatives and the constructive nature of the discussions as key factors that made the consultation process effective and productive.

Pakistan Railways said it expects this continued engagement with market stakeholders to support a competitive and transparent procurement process going forward, one that officials described as mutually beneficial for the government, development partners, industry stakeholders and the general public.

The ML1 project has long been considered one of the most significant railway infrastructure undertakings in Pakistan’s history, aimed at upgrading a key section of the country’s rail network that connects major population and commercial centers. Officials have previously said the upgrade is expected to improve both freight and passenger rail capacity while reducing travel times along one of the busiest corridors in the national railway system.