{
  "id": 12594510,
  "title": "PM Shehbaz directs acceleration of ML-1 project upgrade, corporate-style reforms in railways",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/pm-shehbaz-directs-acceleration-of-ml-1-project-upgrade-corporate-12594510",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-07T09:05:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn",
    "slug": "dawn",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2035382/pm-shehbaz-directs-acceleration-of-ml-1-project-upgrade-corporate-style-reforms-in-railways"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered a swift completion of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway upgrade and the introduction of corporate-style reforms in Pakistan Railways. The ML-1 project is a critical initiative aimed at improving freight and passenger connectivity between Karachi and Peshawar. During a meeting on the Pakistan Railways, the prime minister praised the efforts of NAB and the Ministry of Railways in identifying and recovering encroached railway land, as reported by the Prime Minister's Office. He emphasized the significance of modernizing the ML-1 to enhance railway services and increase freight transport. The prime minister directed the development of ML-1 on a commercial basis, urging the utilization of identified railway land worth billions of rupees for commercial purposes to contribute to the national economy and bolster the railways' self-sufficiency. He also highlighted corporate-style reforms as a priority to make the railways economically viable. PM Shehbaz approved securing bank financing through commercial projects on railway land to support the project and directed authorities to present a comprehensive plan within two weeks based on the actual commercial potential of the railway land. The ML-1 upgrade project, spanning 1,726 kilometers, has been divided into four major sections. International financing is being used for the Karachi-Rohri section, while domestic resources are being sought for the remaining sections. Civil work on the first phase of the ML-1 is expected to commence in January 2027, covering a 480-kilometer stretch from Karachi to Rohri/Sukkur. The project is projected to take between two and a half to three years to complete and will serve a corridor responsible for 76% of passenger traffic and 98% of freight traffic, connecting major population centers and industrial zones. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently finalized a $1.1 billion investment program to bolster the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of railway transport along the ML-1 between Karachi and Rohri by 2040.",
  "summary": "ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed authorities to accelerate work on the Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway upgrade and introduce corporate-style reforms in Pakistan Railways. The ML-1 project aims to upgrade and modernise key infrastructure to enhance freight and passenger connectivity from Karachi to Peshawar. Presiding over a meeting on Pakistan Railways on Wednesday, the…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn - Pakistan",
        "title": "PM Shehbaz directs acceleration of ML-1 project upgrade, corporate-style reforms in railways",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/pm-shehbaz-directs-acceleration-of-ml-1-project-upgrade-corporate",
        "published": "2026-10-07T09:05:28.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}