Pakistan Railways has announced plans to outsource the operations of 11 passenger trains through an open auction system. The auction is scheduled for November 20, 2025.
According to City42, the trains up for outsourcing include Hazara Express, Bahauddin Zakaria Express, Millat Express, Badar Express, Ghauri Express, Rawal Express, Thal Express, Mohenjodaro Passenger, Farid Express, Mianwali Express, and the Faiz Ahmed Faiz Passenger Train.
Railway officials stated that the previous bidding system encountered challenges due to limited participation and low financial bids.
For instance, bids for the initial nine trains brought in Rs. 7.9 billion in total, which the Federal Minister for Railways, Hanif Abbasi, deemed unsatisfactory.
He canceled the earlier bids and directed that future outsourcing be conducted through a more transparent and open auction process.
Pakistan Railways is also planning to outsource its cargo bogies, brake vans, and the commercial operations of its affiliated schools and hospitals.
