ISLAMABAD, Nov 14 (ABC): Pakistan Railways recovered approximately 364 acres of encroached land in Karachi Division during four financial years from 2022-23 to 2025-26. Agricultural land accounted for the largest share of the recoveries.
According to official documents of the Ministry of Railways available with Wealth Pakistan, the department retrieved 363.907 acres during the period. The recovered property included 305.803 acres of agricultural, 29.844 acres of residential and 28.319 acres of commercial land.
However, encroachments remain a major challenge, with private individuals still occupying 951.28 acres of railway land across Karachi Division.
The department has also prepared a fresh anti-encroachment schedule for November 2026 to recover additional railway properties.
Pakistan Railways records highest land recovery in FY2024-25
Pakistan Railways recorded its largest annual land recovery in FY2024-25, retrieving 293.6 acres from encroachers.
According to the documents, agricultural land accounted for 285.31 acres of these recoveries. The department also retrieved 7.458 acres of commercial and 0.832 acres of residential land during the financial year.
In comparison, Pakistan Railways recovered 38.93 acres in FY2023-24. The department subsequently retrieved 23.148 acres in FY2025-26, while recoveries stood at 8.229 acres in FY2022-23.
These figures show that FY2024-25 accounted for the overwhelming majority of land recovered during the four-year period.
Railway land worth Rs305.68m recovered in four months
The documents further reveal that Pakistan Railways recovered another 8.992 acres of encroached land in Karachi Division between July and October 2026.
The recovered property included 6.49 acres of agricultural, 1.986 acres of commercial and 0.516 acres of residential land.
According to Deputy Commissioner valuation rates, the department estimated the total value of these recoveries at approximately Rs305.68 million.
September recorded the highest monthly recovery by value. During the month, Pakistan Railways retrieved 1.52 acres of commercial and 1.99 acres of agricultural land.
The department valued these September recoveries at approximately Rs217.59 million.
Meanwhile, October saw the recovery of 0.366 acres of commercial, 0.176 acres of residential and 4.5 acres of agricultural land. The estimated value of the recovered property stood at Rs84.96 million.
Earlier, the department recovered 0.1 acres of commercial and 0.2 acres of residential land in July. In August, Pakistan Railways retrieved another 0.14 acres of residential property.
Over 951 acres of railway land remain under encroachment
Despite these recoveries, Pakistan Railways continues to face extensive illegal occupation of its land in Karachi Division.
According to the official documents, private individuals still occupy 951.28 acres of railway property.
Residential encroachments account for the largest portion, covering 794.5 acres. Commercial encroachments occupy another 123.28 acres.
Furthermore, 33.5 acres fall under other occupations, including mosques and graveyards.
The documents report no agricultural land under encroachment in the category-wise breakdown of the remaining occupied property.
These figures highlight the scale of the challenge facing Pakistan Railways as it seeks to reclaim land across the division.
Kiamari–Kotri section has largest railway land encroachments
A section-wise analysis identifies the Kiamari–Kotri railway section as the most affected, with 409.28 acres under encroachment.
The Kotri–Tando Adam section follows with 246 acres of occupied railway land. Meanwhile, encroachments along the Hyderabad–Badin section cover 108.9 acres.
Other affected sections include Kotri–Dadu, where 57 acres remain under encroachment, and Karachi Circular Railway, with 53 acres.
The Mirpur Khas–Khokhar Par section has 30 acres of encroached land, while Mirpur Khas–Nawab Shah accounts for another 18 acres.
Similarly, encroachments cover 17 acres along the Pithoro–Jhudo–Jamrao section and 12 acres along Hyderabad–Mirpur Khas.
The section-wise figures show that illegal occupation affects several important railway corridors across Karachi Division.
Pakistan Railways schedules fresh anti-encroachment operations
To accelerate land recovery, Pakistan Railways has prepared a schedule of anti-encroachment operations across Karachi Division for November 2026.
The programme includes vacating railway residential quarters occupied by unauthorised residents. It also covers the removal of commercial encroachments from station yards and other railway premises.
Additionally, the department plans action against other illegal occupations affecting railway properties.
The scheduled operations cover locations in Karachi, Hyderabad, Kotri, Tando Adam, Sehwan and Dadu. Other areas falling under Karachi Division’s jurisdiction are also included.
The latest recovery drive forms part of Pakistan Railways’ continuing efforts to reclaim its properties and address illegal occupation.
However, with more than 951 acres still under encroachment, substantial recovery work remains across the division.
