Pakistan Railways to begin construction of $2.5 billion Karachi-Rohri track in January 2027

Pakistan Railways is targeting January 2027 for the start of construction on the Karachi-Rohri section of Main Line-1, a 480-kilometre project valued at $2.5 billion. Profit by Pakistan Today reported that Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi told the National Assembly the work would form the first stage of ML-1 and that preparations, including market consultations and pre-bid steps, are being accelerated to meet the schedule.

The route was selected as a priority because ageing, deteriorated tracks have created safety risks and frequent repair needs. Abbasi said the network recorded 349 derailments from January 2022 to September 2026, with track faults the main cause; staff errors accounted for 95 incidents and rolling-stock defects for 64. Investigations were complete for 331 cases, while 120 remained unresolved.