Radio News Network Radio News Network
RNN Report
ISLAMABAD— Pakistan Railways is under pressure to enforce its authority as more than 13,000 acres of its land remain illegally occupied across the country — including thousands of acres held by government and defense departments — despite a clear legal framework to address such cases.
Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi told the National Assembly on Monday that the department owns 168,858 acres nationwide, of which 13,115 acres (7.7 percent) are encroached.
According to sources in Pakistan Railways, nearly 4,000 acres are occupied by state institutions, while private encroachments include 4,773 acres for agriculture, 3,266 acres for residential use, and 712 acres for commercial purposes. Punjab has the highest encroachment at 5,717 acres, followed by Sindh (5,590 acres), Balochistan (1,033 acres) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (775 acres).
Despite reclaiming over 2,550 acres from private holders in the last five years, officials admit no land has been recovered from government or defense departments. Insiders note this is despite multiple legal provisions that could be applied to vacate state-held land.
Under the Railway Act, 1890, the department can issue eviction orders and prosecute illegal occupation. Similarly, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Property Removal of Encroachment Act, 2021 defines “public property” to include land under government control and provides procedures to evict unauthorized occupants — even government entities — with enforcement powers to remove encroachments and recover costs.
Legal experts also point to the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, which governs lawful acquisition of land for public purposes, making unauthorized use by departments a breach of process. Provincial governments, such as Sindh, have also directed departments to reclaim illegally occupied land, while police and authorized officers can enforce eviction orders under anti-encroachment laws.
Sources in Pakistan Railways confirm that instead of pursuing eviction, unauthorized government possession is being “regularized” through leases under the Railway Land Policy. Commercial encroachments are under review for premium-based lease agreements.
Legal action against private offenders continues, with anti-encroachment campaigns securing a 96.71 percent conviction rate in more than 5,000 reported cases since 2020. The department has generated Rs13.9 billion in revenue from leasing and licensing railway land over the last three financial years.
However, the failure to recover land from government and defense departments, despite strong legal tools, raises serious governance and accountability concerns over the management of public sector assets
