Pakistan Railways has cancelled all property auctions held between October 20 and 23, and postponed those scheduled from October 24 to 27 in Lahore after allegations surfaced regarding irregularities and lack of transparency in the bidding process.
The decision followed Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi’s intervention after media reports questioned the fairness of recent auctions.
“We have cancelled all auctions held from October 20 to 23 and postponed those planned until October 27. The offered price of Rs220 per square foot was below expectations,” Abbasi said, adding that a new benchmark rate of Rs300–350 per sq ft will be set for future auctions to ensure better returns and full transparency.
The minister assured that all upcoming auctions will be monitored by senior officials and recorded to prevent any malpractice. “Transparency and accountability are our top priorities,” he stated. Abbasi also shared that his past measures had helped the department save billions of rupees in previous auctions of luggage vans and cargo units.
Additionally, the ministry plans to launch a dedicated cargo train service in November, with 35 new wagons arriving by mid-month and another 15 by its end.
The controversy deepened after it was revealed that the Rawalpindi Divisional Superintendent was temporarily given charge of Lahore’s DS office during the auction period, raising suspicions of favoritism. The ministry later reversed the decision and appointed Chief Mechanical Engineer Yousaf Leghari, but concerns persisted, leading to a full cancellation of the auctions.
Cancelled Properties Include: godowns on Sher Shah Road, parking stands at Truck Adda, shops at SDR Shopping Centre, and several bays under Garhi Shahu Bridge among others