RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Railways has emerged as the unlikely beneficiary of the week‑long transport paralysis in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, raking in over Rs. 144 million in revenue as stranded commuters turned to trains amid sweeping security restrictions for anticipated US–Iran talks that never materialised.
Details now available with MM News show that from April 18 to 24, when public and heavy transport was suspended across the twin cities and adjoining areas, rail services became the only viable option for thousands of passengers.
Official figures show that 111,903 people travelled to Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar, Sargodha, Jhelum and other destinations during the seven‑day shutdown, generating Rs. 14 crore 40 lakh in ticket sales.
The surge in ridership offered rare financial relief to the state‑run enterprise, which has otherwise been dogged by a string of derailments, bogie detachments and operational mishaps in recent months. While the blockade disrupted daily life and fuelled public frustration, Railways’ coffers swelled as citizens sought alternatives to reach their destinations.
https://archive.mmnews.tv/pakistan-railways-bans-filming-on-premises-amid-series-of-incidents/
Observers noted the irony: a department long criticised for safety lapses and service failures suddenly became the backbone of intercity travel, not through reform or efficiency gains, but due to extraordinary security measures imposed for diplomatic engagements that ultimately did not take place.
