ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan Monday directed Secretary Railways to submit a comprehensive plan within two weeks to make Pakistan Railways a profitable entity. A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial conducted hearing of the case related to lease of the Railways land and sought detailed report on Railways land lease plan from the Secretary Pakistan Railways within two weeks. During the hearing, Additional Attorney General (AAG) Aamir Rehman informed that a bench of the high court had ordered that not an inch of the Railway land could be leased out. Federal Secretary Railways Muzaffar Ranjha informed the court that Mainline-I (ML-I) is a $9.8 billion project that has been approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), adding that millions of rupees are required for the project. The Chief Justice remarked that everyone talks about borrowing billions of dollars to start projects, and questioned the progress being made on the infrastructure worth billions of dollars already in the country. He stated that he travelled to Sindh during holidays and said that even today railway tracks are surrounded by floodwater. Justice Bandial said that the railways is the lifeline of Pakistan adding that improvement in the railway system will be a great service to the common man. He noted that encroachments around railway lines are increasing. “If institutions do not protect their lands, there will be encroachments,” he stated. Justice Ijazul Ahsan inquired from the railways secretary how much profit the ministry is earning annually. The secretary informed that the annual profit target of railways for five years was Rs58 billion, adding that railways earned Rs62 billion in 2022. He informed the court that during the last year’s floods, Pakistan Railways suffered a loss of Rs628 billion and said that railways itself restored the tracks after the floods without taking a single penny from the government. “Road construction in the country has gained more importance and railways have been pushed back,” said the secretary. The CJ noted that Railway Station is the heart of any city, as it has restaurants, hotels and the shopping centers, from there the passengers do the shopping. He said, however, in the country at the distance of the 50 meters from the railway tracks people have set residential colonies. Justice Ijazul Ahsan said that people tried to establish residential colony near old Islamabad Railways land, but that was stopped due to the intervention of the Supreme Court. Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel said that in Quetta all quarters of the Railways have been sold. Justice Ijaz said that the whole process of lease of railways land should be transparent and its audit be conducted by the Auditor General of Pakistan. AAG Amir Rehman informed court that basic problem is that people get stay orders from the courts against the Railways. The CJP then quoted a supplement published by The Economist on the infrastructure of Pakistan and said that the country needs performance and efficiency, not luxurious comforts.