Ministry of Railways to cut 15,000 more jobs in ongoing rightsizing drive

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Railways announced that it has already abolished 17,101 posts out of its 95,859 sanctioned positions as part of its ongoing rightsizing efforts.

An additional 5,695 posts are currently being eliminated, and the ministry plans to cut another 15,000 positions soon in a bid to streamline operations.

These updates were shared during a briefing to the Cabinet Committee on Rightsizing, which reviewed the progress of the Ministry of Railways’ rightsizing plan.

The meeting was chaired by Federal Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb and focused on the broader implementation of similar efforts across various federal ministries.

Key officials, including Minister of State for Finance Ali Parvez Malik, National Assembly members, and senior officers from different ministries, attended the meeting. During the session, the Establishment Division reported that 29 ministries and one constitutional body had confirmed the elimination of 11,877 posts, along with 4,660 positions that are being phased out due to redundancy.

Finance Minister Aurangzeb praised the progress, recognising the efforts of all ministries and departments involved.

The Ministry of Railways provided a detailed update on its rightsizing initiatives, explaining that the cuts are designed to boost operational efficiency and optimise resources by eliminating unnecessary roles. The focus is on aligning the ministry’s work with its core responsibilities and reducing redundant posts.

The discussion also highlighted the need to modernise Pakistan Railways, ensuring it remains effective with a leaner, more efficient workforce. The committee agreed to refer the ministry’s rightsizing plan to a sub-committee for further review and implementation.

In addition to the railways, the government has already announced that five other ministries—Communications, Poverty Alleviation, Revenue Division, Petroleum Division, and their attached departments—will also undergo rightsizing as part of the government’s fourth wave of restructuring.

According to Aaj News, Aurangzeb also recently announced that the government plans to abolish 150,000 vacant posts across 43 ministries and 400 attached departments by the end of the fiscal year. This move is part of a structural benchmark set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of the federal government.

The high-powered rightsizing committee, established on June 21, 2024, is reviewing these ministries and departments, which together account for Rs876 billion in annual spending.

As part of the effort to streamline government operations, over 150,000 vacant posts—representing 60 per cent of the total—will either be abolished or declared redundant, with a particular focus on cutting contingency roles and lower-grade positions.

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