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

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

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 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; 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.