Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi chaired a high-level meeting to review the performance and development plans of Pakistan Railway Advisory and Consultancy Services (PRACS) and the General Manager Welfare and Special Initiatives (GM W and SI).

The minister was informed that Pakistan Railways is currently operating eight hospitals and 44 dispensaries nationwide, which served over 240,000 outpatients last year. These facilities provide essential medical services such as laboratory tests, X-rays, and ultrasounds to current and retired railway employees and their families.

During the meeting, the minister instructed the relevant departments to enhance the capacity of these hospitals and upgrade their infrastructure in line with modern standards. He also directed them to assess potential public-private partnerships to strengthen hospital management and service delivery.

The GM W and SI team briefed the minister on the educational services being provided through 14 schools and one college located in railway colonies. He urged improvements in performance and teaching standards to prepare students for national-level competition.

PRACS’ operations were also reviewed during the session. The minister underscored the importance of aligning the consultancy body with contemporary needs, cutting unnecessary costs, ensuring transparency, and setting measurable goals.

A comprehensive performance evaluation of PRACS has been scheduled for June 2025 to assess progress on defined objectives.

The minister concluded by stressing the importance of institutional efficiency and performance improvement as part of Pakistan Railways’ long-term vision. He called on PRACS and GM W and SI to deliver visible results in the coming months.

The meeting was attended by the Chairman of Pakistan Railways, members of the Board of Directors, and senior officials from the ministry.