By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Nearly 4,000 acres of Pakistan Railways land are currently under illegal occupation by various government and defence departments, a significant portion of the 13,115 acres, 7.7 percent of the railway’s total holdings, encroached upon across the country, railways minister Hanif Abbasi said.
The minister revealed these details in written responses to the National Assembly on Monday, lays bare a stubborn challenge for the state-owned railway system as it grapples with encroachments eroding its vast land holdings.
The revelations came in response to probing questions from Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) Shazia Marri of the Pakistan Peoples Party and Sher Afzal Marwat of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
They demanded specifics on who is occupying the railway’s 168,858 acres of land, where these encroachments are occurring, and what progress has been made in reclaiming the property over the past five years. “The PR owns a total of 168,858 acres of land across its network in Pakistan, out of which 13,115 acres (7.7 percent) is under illegal occupation,” Abbasi stated in his response.
The minister categorised the illegal occupants into four groups: agricultural, commercial, residential, and government/defence departments. The largest swath of encroached land, 4,773 acres, is tied up in agricultural use, followed closely by 3,999 acres held by government and defence departments. Residential use accounts for 3,266 acres, while commercial activities occupy 712 acres.
Province-wise, Punjab bears the heaviest burden of illegal occupation, with 5,717 acres affected, including 2,539 acres held by government and defence entities. Sindh follows with 5,590 acres, of which 764 acres are under similar control. Balochistan reports 1,033 acres encroached, with 347 acres linked to government and defence departments, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has 775 acres, including 349 acres in the same category.
Over the past five years, Pakistan Railways has reclaimed 2,550 acres from illegal occupants, a notable effort, yet one that leaves the government and defence departments untouched. In Punjab, 1,078 acres were retrieved, while Sindh saw 837 acres returned. Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa followed with 419 and 218 acres, respectively. Breaking it down by use, the railway recovered 1,594 acres from agricultural occupants, 713 acres from commercial entities, and 268 acres from residential users.
Strikingly, not a single acre has been wrested back from government or defence departments during this period, despite their significant holdings. Abbasi outlined steps taken to tackle the problem. “Unauthorised possession of railway land by government departments is being regularised through leases under the Railway Land Policy,” he said.
For commercial encroachments, a “Remedial Policy” is in play, offering lease agreements with upfront premiums and arrears to formalise usage. Legal action remains a key tool, with regular anti-encroachment operations aimed at halting new violations. From 2020 to June 2025, authorities recorded 5,182 encroachment cases, achieving a challan rate of 99.58 percent and a conviction rate of 96.71 percent. Of the 5,611 accused, 99.6 percent were from the general public; nearly all were arrested, with just 20 still at large. “No new encroachment on the PR land had been recorded in the past five years,” the minister said.
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