NA body takes notice of Railway Police Shuhada Welfare Petrol Pump Dispute; seeks workable solution

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Railways has taken serious notice of the land ownership dispute over the welfare petrol pump in Lahore, established for the welfare of the families of Pakistan Railways Police martyrs (Shuhada) and personnel who died in the line of duty, and directed the Ministry of Railways to devise a viable solution and submit a report within one month. The 18th meeting of the standing committee was held on Monday at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Ramesh Lal. The meeting was attended by Chairman Railways Syed Mazhar Ali Shah, Inspector General of Pakistan Railways Police Muhammad Wisal Fakhar Sultan Raja, DIG Railways Sarfraz Ahmad Falki, CEO Railways Hafeezullah, Secretary Railway Board Rahat Mirza, and Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) Malik Ibrar Ahmed, Waseem Qadir, Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto, Syeda Amena Batool, and Ahmed Saleem Siddiqui. Petrol price jumps Rs12.90 to Rs358.77 per litre in Pakistan During the meeting, IG Railways Police revealed that 300 families of employees and personnel who died in service are currently awaiting dues under the Prime Minister's Assistance Package. He pointed out that if railway police personnel remain lumped into the general railway employees' list, their turn will not arrive even in the next 15 years under the current disbursement mechanism. In response, MNA Waseem Qadir proposed through the chair that police martyrs be separated from the general railway employees' roster and granted priority compensation as a frontline law enforcement agency (LEA). Endorsing the proposal, MNA Malik Ibrar Ahmed emphasized that redressing the grievances of the families of those who sacrificed their lives on the front line must remain a top priority. Citing official records, the IG Railways Police stated that, in line with the model followed by the Punjab Police and other law enforcement agencies, all ranks of the PRP from constable to IGP contribute regularly to the welfare fund through monthly salary deductions. The PSO petrol pump established at the Lahore Police Lines in 2004 was financed entirely through the force's own welfare contributions without a single penny invested by Pakistan Railways. The revenue generated from this welfare project provides Rs. 10,000 monthly stipends to widows, immediate financial relief of up to Rs. 600,000 for families of martyrs and Rs. 200,000 for in-service deaths, dowry grants of Rs. 80,000 for daughters' marriages, and full tuition scholarships for orphan students attending institutions such as LUMS, NUST, and Aga Khan University. He warned that if this project is taken away, the force's entire welfare support structure will collapse, leaving the families of martyrs destitute. AI and Balochi Music Industry DIG Railways Sarfraz Ahmad Falki maintained that the Public Accounts Committee's (PAC) audit observation was merely procedural and could easily be settled through documentary evidence. He apprised the committee that a formal review application was submitted through the Ministry of Railways on August 29, 2026, requesting that management and possession of the site be retained by the Railways Police. Directing the authorities to hold the rights of martyrs' families paramount, the standing committee instructed the Ministry of Railways to work out an amicable, practical solution within a month and submit a comprehensive report.