ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Railways on Monday revealed that out of 95,859 sanctioned posts, 17,101 posts have already been abolished, 5,695 posts are in the process of being abolished, while 15,000 additional posts are planned to be eliminated in the near future as part of the ministry’s rightsizing initiatives.
This was revealed while briefing the Cabinet Committee on Rightsising of the federal government which reviewed Ministry of Railways’ Rightsising Plan.
The meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb reviewed progress on the implementation of rightsizing measures across federal ministries and deliberated on the rightsizing plan of the Ministry of Railways.
45,000 posts lying vacant in Pakistan Railways
The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Ali Parvez Malik, Members of National Assembly, federal secretaries, and senior officers from relevant ministries and divisions.
The Establishment Division informed the chair about receiving confirmations from 29 ministries and one constitutional body regarding the abolition of 11,877 posts and 4,660 dying posts.
The finance minister commended the implementation of the committee’s decisions and acknowledged the efforts of the ministries and departments involved.
The Ministry of Railways presented a detailed overview of its rightsizing initiatives. The committee was apprised that out of 95,859 sanctioned posts in the ministry, 17,101 posts have already been abolished, while 5,695 posts are in the process of being abolished.
Furthermore, 15,000 additional posts are planned to be eliminated in the near future as part of the ministry’s rightsizing efforts.
The presentation highlighted measures aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and optimising resources, focusing on aligning the ministry’s functions with its core mandate and reducing redundant posts.
Discussions emphasized the importance of modernising Pakistan Railways and ensuring its operations remain efficient and effective.
The committee decided to refer the case to the Sub-Committee on Rightsizing for further review and implementation of the proposed measures.
The meeting concluded with a directive to continue implementing rightsizing measures across federal ministries in a phased manner to achieve effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainable policy outcomes.
The government has already announced that five ministries including Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Revenue Division and Petroleum Division and their attached departments would be examined for rightsizing during the fourth wave.
Aurangzeb has recently announced to abolish 150,000 vacant posts, while vowing to complete rightsizing of 43 ministries and their 400 attached departments — a structural benchmark set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by end of current fiscal year, to reduce volume, expenditures and improve efficiency of the federal government.
The high-powered committee established on June 21, 2024, for rightsizing is reviewing 43 ministries and 400 attached departments, which currently account for Rs876 billion in annual spending. To streamline government structure, over 150,000 vacant posts (60 per cent) will be abolished or declared redundant. Contingency roles and lower-grade positions will be significantly reduced.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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