Railways reservation offices to remain close on July 6

LAHORE: The Pakistan Railways has announced that all reservation offices across the country will remain closed on Sunday, July 6, 2025 in observance of the 10th Muharram (Youm-e-Ashura).

According to a notification issued on Thursday, the closure is a part of the Railways’ observance of the sacred day. The department further stated that all reservation offices will resume normal operations on Monday, July 7.

Passengers are advised to plan their bookings accordingly.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Railways has generated over Rs 3,959 million in revenue from the operation of brake and luggage vans over the past three years, according to an official.

“These operations were carried out both directly by Pakistan Railways and through outsourcing to private contractors,” an official in the Ministry of Railways told APP.

He said it is fact that the luggage vans have been outsourced through a transparent bidding process during this period. “The outsourcing is done via open tenders which are publicly advertised by the department,” the official said.

The official said that the contracts are awarded in accordance with prevailing regulations, and bid benchmarks are set based on the previous year’s earnings from the luggage and brake vans.

The federal government has decided the deployment of the Pakistan Army across the country to ensure security during Muharram, ARY News reported.

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior, the decision follows requests from all provincial governments, including those of Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and the federal capital, Islamabad.

The notification stated that the army will assist local administrations based on on-ground requirements during the holy month.