ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Railways directed the Ministry of Railways to provide information regarding a public notice issued by the government restricting the use of railway premises by social media influencers, bloggers and the general public for advertising, filming or photography.
Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Railways Senator Shahadat Awan stated that such a notice breaches the right to information and access, which is a fundamental right protected under the Constitution of Pakistan.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Senator Shahadat Awan at Parliament House on Monday to further evaluate the strategic progress of key infrastructure initiatives, including the ML-I project and the implementation of the Railways Advanced Infrastructure Network (RAIN) and WIM.
The committee recommended that the ministry provide a comprehensive briefing at the next meeting regarding actions taken against illegal encroachments on railway land in Karachi, in line with the orders of the Supreme Court. It specifically sought a detailed report on the current status of the settlement and relocation of encroachers.
Security and asset recovery also remained a top priority, as the committee sought a periodic report on the misappropriation and recovery of stolen railway materials, as well as progress on related FIRs. On the fiscal front, the committee appreciated the successful maintenance of staff reduction targets and the generation of an additional Rs5,911.82 million over the past five years through outsourced luggage vans.
To further optimise underutilised assets, the committee recommended that the ministry brief members on plans for leasing or renting out railway properties near dry ports. These administrative reviews were accompanied by significant infrastructure updates, including the approval of a Rs9,725 million project to secure 177 unmanned vulnerable level crossings in Punjab and 100 in Sindh, as well as ongoing efforts to resolve long-standing lease disputes such as the Hyatt Regency Hotel project.
Concluding the session, the committee emphasised the need to maintain absolute transparency in project funding and coordination with international financial institutions. The chairman of the committee again directed the ministry to provide information regarding the public notice restricting the use of railway premises by social media influencers, bloggers and the general public for advertising, filming or photography. He reiterated that such a notice breaches the right to information and access, which is guaranteed as a fundamental right under the Constitution of Pakistan.
