# Pakistan Railways has 22,546 vacant posts, 12,165 of them in Punjab, as daily-wage staff fill gaps

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/pakistan/pakistan-railways-has-22546-vacant-posts-12165-of-them-in-punjab-as-daily-wage)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 28 Oct 2026
Updated: 28 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 28 Oct 2026

> Technical and non-technical posts from BPS-1 to BPS-21 are empty across all four provinces, and railway sources say a priority hiring framework is being prepared. No dates yet.

**Pakistan Railways has 22,546 vacant posts** across pay scales BPS-1 to BPS-21, ARY News reported on Wednesday, 28 October, citing railway sources. The shortage covers both technical and non-technical jobs and is disrupting train operations.

## Vacancies by province

| Province | Vacant posts |
|---|---|
| Punjab | 12,165 |
| Sindh | 7,245 |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 1,840 |
| Balochistan | 1,296 |
| **Total** | **22,546** |

More than half of the empty posts are in Punjab, where most of the network's main line runs.

## How the railway is coping

To keep trains moving, the department is relying on **daily-wage technical staff**, according to the report. Railway sources said a **recruitment framework** is being drawn up to fill essential posts on a priority basis, but no timeline, number of posts or advertisement date has been announced.

The figures have not been released in an official statement; they come from railway sources quoted by ARY. The total sanctioned strength was not given, so the share of posts lying empty cannot be worked out.

## Jobs already open

Some hiring is under way. Pakistan Railways is recruiting for **829 posts under the Balochistan quota**, with applications closing on **11 November 2026**: see our [Pakistan Railways jobs 2026 report](/news/education/pakistan-railways-jobs-2026-829-posts-under-balochistan-quota-apply-by-11) for posts, eligibility and how to apply.

## What job seekers should do

- Apply only through advertisements published by Pakistan Railways or in national newspapers, with an advertisement number you can check.
- Check your age on the closing date with our [age calculator](/tools/government/age-calculator); government posts have upper age limits with relaxations for some quotas.
- Ignore anyone who asks for money to secure a railway job.

We will report the new recruitment framework when Pakistan Railways announces it.

## Frequently asked questions

**How many posts are vacant in Pakistan Railways?**

22,546 posts from BPS-1 to BPS-21, according to railway sources quoted by ARY News on 28 October 2026: 12,165 in Punjab, 7,245 in Sindh, 1,840 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 1,296 in Balochistan.

## Sources

- Over 22,000 posts lie vacant in Pakistan Railways, crippling operations (ARY News): https://arynews.tv/over-22000-posts-lie-vacant-in-pakistan-railways-crippling-operations

How to cite: "Pakistan Railways has 22,546 vacant posts, 12,165 of them in Punjab, as daily-wage staff fill gaps", Searchable, 28 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/pakistan/pakistan-railways-has-22546-vacant-posts-12165-of-them-in-punjab-as-daily-wage