ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – An audit of the Property and Land Department of Pakistan Railways has revealed irregularities amounting to Rs12.49 billion, Dunya News has reported.
The special audit, spanning four years of departmental activities, was conducted to identify deficiencies.
According to the audit report, of a total of 1,350,312 kanals of Pakistan Railways land nationwide, encroachments have been identified on 2,617 acres of land valued at over Rs3.049 billion.
Notable encroachments include 1,937 acres in Multan, 87.13 acres in Rawalpindi and 593 acres in Quetta.
The report states that illegal petrol pumps have been identified on land valued at over Rs2.017 billion in Karachi and Hyderabad.
Despite a legal order, 63 acres of land belonging to the Gilani railway station in Karachi valued at Rs4.40 billion, remains under dispute, hindering the plan for initiating a circular railway.
Similarly, 602 railway quarters in Sukkur have not yet been vacated.
The report also highlights outstanding dues of Rs221.2 million from various government departments in different cities that are yet to be collected.
Moreover, the termination of a lease agreement with a private fitness company in Karachi resulted in a loss of Rs1.01 billion due to non-auctioning.
According to the report, the staff responsible for railway property management lack the necessary qualifications, with engineers often filling these roles.