FAISALABAD – Federal Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi has announced that the government will work closely with the business community to put Pakistan’s economy on a stronger and more sustainable path.

Speaking at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) during his visit on Saturday, Abbasi stressed that traders and industrialists are the “backbone of the national economy.” He said rebuilding the trust of local investors is vital to attracting foreign investment.
The minister revealed an ambitious 45-day deadline to complete the upgradation of Faisalabad Railway Station, part of his broader plan to revive and modernize Pakistan Railways through both short-term and long-term projects.
Highlighting safety measures, Abbasi disclosed that Punjab currently has 436 unmanned railway crossings. The government has allocated Rs 9 billion to install gates at 150 locations over the next three years.
He called for an active partnership between Pakistan Railways and the business sector to transform the department into a profitable entity and invited practical suggestions to achieve this goal. Abbasi also acknowledged Faisalabad’s key role in driving the national economy after Karachi.
During the meeting, FCCI leaders presented various proposals, all of which the minister accepted. Former FPCCI president Mian Muhammad Adrees urged authorities to identify non-operational railway properties within a 10-kilometer radius of Faisalabad for commercial use. FCCI President Rehan Naseem Bharara suggested increasing freight train operations to generate additional revenue, as practiced internationally.
The session concluded with the minister recording his remarks in the FCCI Visitors’ Book and posing for a group photograph with the business community representatives.