Pakistan Railways Approves Fresh Hiring to Address Driver Shortage

Pakistan Railways has announced a large-scale recruitment drive to address the shortage of train drivers, approving the hiring of 417 assistant train drivers across multiple divisions, as the department moves to strengthen operations and improve service delivery nationwide.

According to official sources, the highest number of vacancies has been allocated to the Karachi division with 182 posts, reflecting the operational demand of the country’s busiest rail network. Other allocations include Sukkur with 66 positions, Multan with 51, Peshawar with 33, Rawalpindi with 30, Quetta with 29, and Lahore with 26 posts.

Railway officials confirmed that applicants must have passed matriculation and hold a three-year Diploma of Associate Engineering. Candidates with diplomas in Mechanical, Electrical, Information Technology, or Automobile Technology will be eligible to apply under the announced criteria.

Under the existing quota policy, 60 percent of the seats will be filled on open merit, while 20 percent have been reserved for children of railway employees and 10 percent for ex-servicemen. In addition, five percent of seats have been allocated for minorities and five percent for orphan candidates.

Officials said the recruitment drive aims to ensure smoother train operations, address manpower shortages, and enhance passenger safety and service efficiency across Pakistan Railways.