Senate orders review of rents for 53 Railway petrol pumps

Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Railways has directed authorities to re-evaluate and legally rationalise the commercial rents of 53 petrol pumps operating on Pakistan Railways land, stressing that all leasing and rental arrangements must strictly conform to the law and applicable PPRA rules.

The direction was issued during a meeting of the committee chaired by Senator Shahadat Awan at Parliament House, where the management of railway commercial assets and land came under detailed scrutiny.

Briefing the committee, railway officials said the operation of the 53 petrol pumps was being carried out in accordance with Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules and prescribed procedures. They further informed the committee that, following a policy revision in 2023, the rental rate had been increased from 8 percent to 10 percent.

The committee, however, emphasised that the existing rent policy must be brought strictly in line with the law and directed the authorities to reassess and fix commercial rents accordingly.

The Minister for Railways assured the committee that transparency would be ensured in all future operations and categorically stated that neither the department nor any individual would be allowed to lease even a single foot of railway land arbitrarily.

He assured that every transaction involving railway land would be conducted strictly according to the law.

The committee also reviewed broader issues concerning railway land and commercial assets, including encroachments and accountability in pending inquiries. It appreciated the recovery of 376 acres of railway land from illegal encroachments out of a target involving more than 13,000 acres, while directing the ministry to accelerate the anti-encroachment operation.

The meeting was attended by Senators Dost Ali Jeesa and Bushra Anjum Butt, the Minister for Railways and senior officials of the concerned departments.