Rail transport in Pakistan began in 1855 during the
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...
, when several railway companies began laying track and operating in present-day
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
. The country's rail system has been nationalised as
Pakistan Railways
Pakistan Railways ( ur, ) is the national, state-owned railway company of Pakistan. Founded in 1861 and headquartered in Lahore, it owns of track across Pakistan, stretching from Torkham to Karachi, offering both freight and passenger servi ...
(originally the
Pakistan Western Railway
The Pakistan Western Railway ( ur, ) was one of two divisions of Pakistan Railways which operated between 1947 and 1971. The company was headquartered in Lahore.https://www.pakrail.gov.pk/AboutUs.aspx In 1971, Pakistan Western Railway renamed ...
). The system was originally a patchwork of local rail lines operated by small private companies, including the Scinde,
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
and
Delhi Railway
The Delhi Railway was a railway company that operated in British India. It later merged with Scinde Railway, Punjab Railway and Indus Steam Flotilla to form the Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway
The Scinde, Punjab, Delhi Railway was formed in ...
s and the
Indus Steam Flotilla
Rail transport in Pakistan began in 1855 during the British Raj, when several railway companies began laying track and operating in present-day Pakistan. The country's rail system has been nationalised as Pakistan Railways (originally the Pakista ...
. In 1870, the four companies were amalgamated as the
Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway
The Scinde, Punjab, Delhi Railway was formed in 1870 from the incorporation of the Scinde Railway, Indus Steam Flotilla, Punjab Railway and Delhi Railway companies. This was covered by the ''Scinde Railway Company's Amalgamation Act'' of 186 ...
Kandahar State Railway
The Kandahar State Railway opened c.1881, originally ran from Sibi and then on wards to Rindli, with the intention to reaching Quetta and onwards to Kandahar. However, the line never reached Quetta.North Western State Railway
The North Western State Railway (NWR) was formed in January 1886 from the merger of the Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway, the Indus Valley State Railway, the Punjab Northern State Railway, the eastern section of the Sind–Sagar Railway and the ...
in 1880. Following independence in 1947, the North Western Railway became Pakistan Western Railway and the rail system was reorganised; some of the reorganisation was controversial. Rail use increased in early 1948, and the network became profitable. Declining passenger numbers and financial losses in the late 1980s and early 1990s prompted the closure of many branch lines and small stations. The 1990s saw corporate mismanagement and severe cuts in
rail subsidies
Many countries offer subsidies to their railways because of the social and economic benefits that it brings. The economic benefits can greatly assist in funding the rail network. Those countries usually also fund or subsidize road construction, an ...
. Due to falling passenger numbers, government subsidies are necessary to keep the railways financially viable.
Early development (1855–1870)
Scinde Railway
The Scinde Railway Company was established in 1855, after
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
Battle of Miani
The Battle of Miani (or Battle of Meeanee, ) was a battle between forces of the Bombay Army of the East India Company, under the command of Charles Napier and the Baluch army of Talpur Amirs of Sindh, led by Mir Nasir Khan Talpur. The battle ...
, sought permission from
Lord Dalhousie
James Andrew Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie (22 April 1812 – 19 December 1860), also known as Lord Dalhousie, styled Lord Ramsay until 1838 and known as The Earl of Dalhousie between 1838 and 1849, was a Scottish statesman and co ...
to begin a survey for a seaport. The Scinde Railway was established by a
settlement
Settlement may refer to:
*Human settlement, a community where people live
*Settlement (structural), the distortion or disruption of parts of a building
* Closing (real estate), the final step in executing a real estate transaction
*Settlement (fin ...
Kotri
Kotri ( sd, ڪوٽڙي, ur, ) is a city and the headquarters of the Kotri Taluka of Jamshoro District of Sindh province in Pakistan. Located on the right bank of the Indus River, it is the 29th largest city in Pakistan by population.
Name
Th ...
Chenab River
The Chenab River () is a major river that flows in India and Pakistan, and is one of the 5 major rivers of the Punjab region. It is formed by the union of two headwaters, Chandra and Bhaga, which rise in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul regi ...
s to
Multan
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the List ...
, and another rail line to
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city ...
were proposed. Work on the railway began in April 1858, and Karachi and Kotri—a distance of —were connected by rail on 13 May 1861.
Punjab Railway
The Punjab Railway was established shortly after the July 1855 passage of the Scinde Railway Act. As the Karachi-to-Kotri line was being constructed and the
Indus Steam Flotilla
Rail transport in Pakistan began in 1855 during the British Raj, when several railway companies began laying track and operating in present-day Pakistan. The country's rail system has been nationalised as Pakistan Railways (originally the Pakista ...
was being set up to transport passengers to
Multan
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the List ...
, the Punjab Railway was laid from
Multan
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the List ...
to
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city ...
and onward to Amritsar. The line opened in 1861, connecting Karachi and Lahore.
Indus Steam Flotilla
The Indus Steam Flotilla was a freight and passenger
steamship
A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...
company which operated initially between Karachi and Multan and later between
Kotri
Kotri ( sd, ڪوٽڙي, ur, ) is a city and the headquarters of the Kotri Taluka of Jamshoro District of Sindh province in Pakistan. Located on the right bank of the Indus River, it is the 29th largest city in Pakistan by population.
Name
Th ...
and Multan after the completion of the Karachi-Kotri Railway Line between 1858 and 1870. The Indus Steam Flotilla provided "the navigation of the Indus, &c, by means of steam vessels ic between Kotri and Multan, to be worked in connection with the railways." It plied the Indus and Chenab Rivers from
Karachi Port
The Port of Karachi ( ur, , ''Bandar gāh Karāchī'') is one of South Asia's largest and busiest deep-water seaports, handling about 60% of the nation's cargo (25 million tons per annum) located in Karachi, Pakistan. It is located on the Kar ...
in the south to
Makhad
Makhad (Urdu: مکھڈ ) aka Makhad Shareef is a historical town in Attock District of northern Punjab Province in Pakistan. It is one of the last towns separating the Punjab from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The boundary is marked by the fast-flowi ...
in the north via
Jhirk
Jhirk also spelled as Jerruck is a small town on the right bank of River Indus, in district Thatta, province of Sindh, Pakistan.
History
In the 19th century, Jhirk was the busiest river port and centre of commercial activity in Sindh. It also ...
and
Mithankot
Mithankot ( ur, ) also known as Kotmithan, is a city in Rajanpur District in Punjab, Pakistan. Mithankot is located on the west bank of the Indus River
The Indus ( ) is a transboundary river of Asia and a trans-Himalayan river of South ...
. The journey between Karachi and Multan alone took up to 40 days. The company had its headquarters in Kotri, and its promoters negotiated the same guaranteed rate of return as the original guaranteed railways. It later merged with the Scinde and Punjab Railways to form the
Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway
The Scinde, Punjab, Delhi Railway was formed in 1870 from the incorporation of the Scinde Railway, Indus Steam Flotilla, Punjab Railway and Delhi Railway companies. This was covered by the ''Scinde Railway Company's Amalgamation Act'' of 186 ...
. With the Scinde Railway in place, the Indus Flotilla steamers could take cargo from Kotri instead of Karachi (saving about through the Indus River delta). The railway bypassed Jhirk (Jherruk), reducing its importance. In 1856, the Scinde Railway charter was expanded to include the construction of Punjab Railway connecting Multan
Mergers and expansion (1870–1885)
Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway
The Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway was formed in 1870 from the incorporation of the Indus Steam Flotilla and the Scinde, Punjab and Delhi Railways by the Scinde Railway Company's Amalgamation Act of 1869.
Deepak
The company inherited a reputation as the worst-managed of the early private companies. After its purchase in 1885, the SP&DR was merged with several other railways to form the
North Western State Railway
The North Western State Railway (NWR) was formed in January 1886 from the merger of the Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway, the Indus Valley State Railway, the Punjab Northern State Railway, the eastern section of the Sind–Sagar Railway and the ...
(NWR).
Indus Valley State Railway
The
Indus Valley State Railway
The Indus Valley State Railway was a railway founded in 1871 to provide a rail link between Kotri and Multan and to replace the Indus Steam Flotilla. The opening of the line thus connected Karachi with Lahore.
History
The survey of the Indus V ...
was undertaken by Scinde Railway chief resident engineer John Brunton, assisted by his son William Arthur Brunton, in 1869-70. The
Empress Bridge
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( e ...
, opened in 1878, carried the IVSR over the Sutlej River between
Ferozepur
Firozpur, also known as Ferozepur, is a city on the banks of the Sutlej River in Firozpur District, Punjab, India. After the partition of India in 1947, it became a border town on the India–Pakistan border with memorials to soldiers who died ...
(Firozpur, south of Lahore) and
Kasur
Kasur (Urdu and pa, ; also Romanization of Urdu, romanized as Qasūr; from pluralized Arabic word ''Qasr'' meaning "palaces" or "forts") is a city to south of Lahore, in the Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. The city serves as th ...
. The line reached
Sukkur
Sukkur (; ) is a city in the Pakistani province of Sindh along the western bank of the Indus River, directly across from the historic city of Rohri. Sukkur is the third largest city in Sindh after Karachi and Hyderabad, and 14th largest ci ...
in 1879, and the steam ferry which transported eight wagons at a time across the Indus between
Rohri
Rohri (Sindhi: روهڙي; ur, ) is a city of Sukkur District, Sindh province, Pakistan. It is located on the east bank of the Indus River, located directly across from Sukkur, the third largest city in Sindh. Rohri town is the administrative ...
and Sukkur was found to be cumbersome and time-consuming. The opening of the
Lansdowne Bridge
The Lansdowne Bridge is a heritage-listed road bridge that carries the northbound carriageway of the Hume Highway (route A22 at this point) across Prospect Creek between Lansvale and Lansdowne. Situated in southwestern Sydney it is located on ...
in 1889 resolved the bottleneck, and Karachi Port was connected to the rail network. With other companies, the Indus Valley State Railway was merged with the
Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway
The Scinde, Punjab, Delhi Railway was formed in 1870 from the incorporation of the Scinde Railway, Indus Steam Flotilla, Punjab Railway and Delhi Railway companies. This was covered by the ''Scinde Railway Company's Amalgamation Act'' of 186 ...
in 1886 to form the
North Western State Railway
The North Western State Railway (NWR) was formed in January 1886 from the merger of the Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway, the Indus Valley State Railway, the Punjab Northern State Railway, the eastern section of the Sind–Sagar Railway and the ...
.
Punjab Northern State Railway
The
Punjab Northern State Railway
The Punjab Northern State Railway , opened in 1876, was a railway line between Lahore and Peshawar.
History
The route of what became the Punjab Northern State Railway, was first surveyed in 1857. Years of political and military debate followe ...
, opened in 1876, was a line between Lahore and
Peshawar
Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
. The route of what became the railway was first surveyed in 1857, followed by years of political and military debate. The Punjab Northern State Railway was created in 1870-71 to construct and operate a railway between Lahore and Peshawar. The first section of line (from Lahore to Peshawar) was opened in 1876, and in 1883 the
Attock Bridge
Attock Bridge ( ur, ) is situated between Attock Khurd and Khairabad Kund on Indus river in Pakistan. It is commonly known as "Old Attock Bridge". This bridge is one of the most important strategic and commercial crossing on the Indus River be ...
over the Indus River was completed. Francis Joseph Edward Spring was deployed from the Imperial Civil Service's engineering section in 1873 as consulting engineer for the PNSR survey and the construction of portions of the railway and bridges, and remained attached to the railway until 1878. Several major bridges were constructed to complete the PNSR line from Lahore to Peshawar.
Sind–Pishin State Railway
Government considered
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, who might advance from Afghanistan into Quetta, a threat to its rule in
South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
.''Railways of Afghanistan'' "Railways and the Great Game" access date: 1 February 2012 /ref> In 1857, Scinde, Punjab and Delhi Railway chairman William Andrew suggested that rail lines to the
Bolan Pass
Bolān Pass ( ur, ) is a valley and a natural gateway, through the Toba Kakar range in Balochistan province of Pakistan, south of the Afghanistan border. The pass is an stretch of the Bolan river valley from Rindli in the south to Darwāza ...
would have a strategic role in responding to a Russian threat. During the
Second Anglo-Afghan War
The Second Anglo-Afghan War (Dari: جنگ دوم افغان و انگلیس, ps, د افغان-انګرېز دويمه جګړه) was a military conflict fought between the British Raj and the Emirate of Afghanistan from 1878 to 1880, when the l ...
(1878–80), a new urgency was felt to construct a rail line to Quetta for easier access to the frontier. Work began on the line on 18 September 1879, and the first from Ruk to
Sibi
Sibi (Sindhi: سيوي ur, ) is a city situated in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. The city is the headquarters of the district and tehsil of the same name.
Etymology
The origin of the town's name is attributed to Rani Sewi, a Hindu lad ...
was completed in January 1880. Beyond Sibi, however, the terrain was difficult. After harsh weather, the over- line finally reached Quetta in March 1887.
Quetta
Quetta (; ur, ; ; ps, کوټه) is the tenth most populous city in Pakistan with a population of over 1.1 million. It is situated in south-west of the country close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is the capital of ...
to
Taftan Taftan (in Persian: تفتان ''Taftân'') may refer to:
* Taftan (volcano), located in Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran
* Taftan, Balochistan
Taftan ( ur, ) ( bal, ) is a trunk road and railway town in Chagai District, Balochistan, ...
and onward to the Iranian city of
Zahidan
Zahedan ( Balochi and fa, , ' ) is a city and capital of Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. At the 2016 census, its population was 587,730.
The city was the site of a deadly crackdown in October 2022, with dozens citizens killed by pro- ...
. It was named the Nushki Extension Railway, since its construction began west of Nushki in 1916. The line reached Zahidan in 1922. It is long, with the last 100-kilometer section in Iran. It is little used, with one
fortnight
A fortnight is a unit of time equal to 14 days (two weeks). The word derives from the Old English term , meaning "" (or "fourteen days," since the Anglo-Saxons counted by nights).
Astronomy and tides
In astronomy, a ''lunar fortnight'' is ha ...
ly train between Quetta and Zahidan.
Kandahar State Railway
The
Kandahar State Railway
The Kandahar State Railway opened c.1881, originally ran from Sibi and then on wards to Rindli, with the intention to reaching Quetta and onwards to Kandahar. However, the line never reached Quetta.Sibi
Sibi (Sindhi: سيوي ur, ) is a city situated in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. The city is the headquarters of the district and tehsil of the same name.
Etymology
The origin of the town's name is attributed to Rani Sewi, a Hindu lad ...
and onward to Rindli, with the intention of reaching
Quetta
Quetta (; ur, ; ; ps, کوټه) is the tenth most populous city in Pakistan with a population of over 1.1 million. It is situated in south-west of the country close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is the capital of ...
and
Kandahar
Kandahar (; Kandahār, , Qandahār) is a city in Afghanistan, located in the south of the country on the Arghandab River, at an elevation of . It is Afghanistan's second largest city after Kabul, with a population of about 614,118. It is the c ...
. However, the line never reached
Quetta
Quetta (; ur, ; ; ps, کوټه) is the tenth most populous city in Pakistan with a population of over 1.1 million. It is situated in south-west of the country close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is the capital of ...
. The railway joined with the southern section of the Sind–Pishin State Railway and, in 1886, amalgamated with other railways to form the
North Western State Railway
The North Western State Railway (NWR) was formed in January 1886 from the merger of the Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway, the Indus Valley State Railway, the Punjab Northern State Railway, the eastern section of the Sind–Sagar Railway and the ...
(NWR). From Sibi the line ran south-west, skirting the hills to Rindli, and originally followed the Bolan stream to its head on the plateau. Flooding led to the abandonment of this alignment, and the railway follows the Mashkaf Valley. Although the Bolan Pass rail construction enabled the NWR route to be selected, the line was later dismantled.
North Western State Railway (1885–1947)
The
North Western State Railway
The North Western State Railway (NWR) was formed in January 1886 from the merger of the Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway, the Indus Valley State Railway, the Punjab Northern State Railway, the eastern section of the Sind–Sagar Railway and the ...
was formed in January 1886 from the merger of the
Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway
The Scinde, Punjab, Delhi Railway was formed in 1870 from the incorporation of the Scinde Railway, Indus Steam Flotilla, Punjab Railway and Delhi Railway companies. This was covered by the ''Scinde Railway Company's Amalgamation Act'' of 186 ...
, the
Indus Valley State Railway
The Indus Valley State Railway was a railway founded in 1871 to provide a rail link between Kotri and Multan and to replace the Indus Steam Flotilla. The opening of the line thus connected Karachi with Lahore.
History
The survey of the Indus V ...
, the
Punjab Northern State Railway
The Punjab Northern State Railway , opened in 1876, was a railway line between Lahore and Peshawar.
History
The route of what became the Punjab Northern State Railway, was first surveyed in 1857. Years of political and military debate followe ...
, the eastern section of the
Sind–Sagar Railway
The Sind–Sagar Railway was originally constructed as a Metre Gauge railway line from Lala Musa to Malakwal. In 1886 the Sind–Sagar Railway was amalgamated with other railways to form the North Western State Railway and railway line from wa ...
Khojak Tunnel
The Khojak Tunnel ( ur, , ''Khojak Sarang''), is a railway tunnel in the Toba Achakzai range in the Qilla Abdullah District of Balochistan province, Pakistan.''1998 District Census Report of Killa Abdullah'', Population Census Organisation, G ...
Khojak Tunnel
The Khojak Tunnel ( ur, , ''Khojak Sarang''), is a railway tunnel in the Toba Achakzai range in the Qilla Abdullah District of Balochistan province, Pakistan.''1998 District Census Report of Killa Abdullah'', Population Census Organisation, G ...
opened in 1891 and the railway reached
Chaman
Chaman ( Balochi, Pashto and ur, ) is a city and recently claimed as a new district of Balochistan named Chaman District as it was earlier a part of district Qila Abdullah District located on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. It is the capital o ...
, near the Afghan border. By 1905, it was the longest railway under one administration and the strategic railway of the Northwest Frontier. In 1947, much of the North Western State Railway in Pakistan became part of
Pakistan Western Railways
The Pakistan Western Railway ( ur, ) was one of two divisions of Pakistan Railways which operated between 1947 and 1971. The company was headquartered in Lahore.https://www.pakrail.gov.pk/AboutUs.aspx In 1971, Pakistan Western Railway renamed ...
; the Indian portion was incorporated into the
Eastern Punjab Railway
The Eastern Punjab Railway was the successor of the North Western State Railway in East Punjab after the partition of India. In 1952, Northern Railway was formed with a portion of East Indian Railway Company
The East Indian Railway Company ...
.
Pakistan Railways (1947–present)
After independence, North Western Railway track became the Pakistan Railway. In 1947, Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the Government of Pakistan invited
Frank D'Souza
Frank D'Souza (born in Karachi, British India) was the first Indian to be appointed member of the Indian Railway Board and the man who set up the Pakistan Western Railway after Partition of India in 1947.
Early life
D'Souza was born in Karachi, ...
to set up the Pakistani rail system.
The railway was extended to
Mardan
Mardān (Pashto and ; Urdu ; Pashto: ) is a city in the Mardan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. Located in the Valley of Peshawar, Mardan is the second-largest city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (after Peshawar). It is a fast-growing ...
and
Charsada
Chārsadda ( ps, چارسده; ; ur, ; ) is a town and headquarters of Charsadda District, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.
in 1954, and two years later the
Jacobabad
Jacobabad ( ur, and sd, جيڪب آباد; formerly Khanger or Khangarh) is a city in Sindh, Pakistan, serving as both the capital city of Jacobabad District and the administrative center of Jacobabad Taluka, an administrative tehsil, subdi ...
–
Kashmore
Kashmore or Kashmor ( sd, ڪشمور, ur, ), is a town and the administrative centre of Kashmore District located in the Sindh Province of Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is ...
line was converted to broad gauge. In 1961, the Pakistani portion of the North Western Railway was renamed
Pakistan Railways
Pakistan Railways ( ur, ) is the national, state-owned railway company of Pakistan. Founded in 1861 and headquartered in Lahore, it owns of track across Pakistan, stretching from Torkham to Karachi, offering both freight and passenger servi ...
. The
Kot Adu
Kot Addu ( ur, ) is capital city of Kot Addu District in the Punjab (Pakistan), Punjab province of Pakistan. This city is subdivided into 5 Union Councils of Pakistan, Union Councils
–
Kashmore
Kashmore or Kashmor ( sd, ڪشمور, ur, ), is a town and the administrative centre of Kashmore District located in the Sindh Province of Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is ...
line, constructed between 1969 and 1973, provided an alternative route north from Karachi.
Gallery
File:Gulistan Station on the Great Military Railway, at entrance to Kojak Tunnel LCCN2004707355.jpg, alt=Station with many people, Gulistan Station on the Great Military Railway at entrance to
Khojak Tunnel
The Khojak Tunnel ( ur, , ''Khojak Sarang''), is a railway tunnel in the Toba Achakzai range in the Qilla Abdullah District of Balochistan province, Pakistan.''1998 District Census Report of Killa Abdullah'', Population Census Organisation, G ...
(1895)
File:William Henry Jackson-Lahore railway station.jpg, alt=Tinted picture of a large building,
Magic lantern
The magic lantern, also known by its Latin name , is an early type of image projector that used pictures—paintings, prints, or photographs—on transparent plates (usually made of glass), one or more lenses, and a light source. Because a si ...
image of
Lahore Railway Station
Lahore Junction Railway Station (Urdu, pa, ) is the main railway station in Lahore, Pakistan. Construction commenced shortly after the 1857 War of Independence against British rule, and so was built in the style of a medieval castle with thick ...
around 1895
File:North Western Railway.jpg, alt=Rail map of Pakistan, North Western Railway network in 1909
File:Steam engine on display at lahore railway station.jpeg, alt=Steam locomotive on display, Narrow-gauge ZB-class number 205 (Hanomag 10761, 1932) at Lahore rail station
See also
*
History of rail transport
The history of rail transport began in the BCE times. It can be divided into several discrete periods defined by the principal means of track material and motive power used.
Ancient systems
The Post Track, a prehistoric causeway in the v ...
*
Pakistan Eastern Railway
The Pakistan Eastern Railway ( ur, , bn, পাকিস্তান পূর্বাঞ্চলীয় রেলপথ) was one of two divisions of Pakistan Railways which operated between 1961 and 1971. The company was headquartered in ...
*
Pakistan Western Railway
The Pakistan Western Railway ( ur, ) was one of two divisions of Pakistan Railways which operated between 1947 and 1971. The company was headquartered in Lahore.https://www.pakrail.gov.pk/AboutUs.aspx In 1971, Pakistan Western Railway renamed ...
*
Sind–Sagar Railway
The Sind–Sagar Railway was originally constructed as a Metre Gauge railway line from Lala Musa to Malakwal. In 1886 the Sind–Sagar Railway was amalgamated with other railways to form the North Western State Railway and railway line from wa ...
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...