Pakistan Train Derailment: All 14 Coaches Go Off Track, Over 40 Injured
At least five people were feared dead and more than 40 injured after all 14 coaches of the Rehman Baba Express derailed in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province on Tuesday morning. The train was travelling from Karachi, a major port city in southern Pakistan, to Peshawar in the northwest when the accident occurred at around 5:15 am near Sher Shah Bridge in Multan, according to reports. Pakistan Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi told Dawn that the Federal Government Inspector of Railways (FGIR) had been appointed to investigate the incident. However, he said he could not confirm five fatalities, noting that the railway’s divisional superintendent in Multan had reported four deaths. According to Pakistan Railways’ casualty list, 41 people were injured. Of them, three were discharged from hospital, while 38 were taken to Nishtar Hospital in Multan for treatment. At least 13 minors were among the injured. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed concern over the accident and directed the authorities to speed up rescue operations and ensure immediate medical care for the injured. Pakistan has witnessed several deadly railway accidents in recent years. In August 2023, at least 30 people were killed and more than 100 injured when the Hazara Express derailed near Nawabshah in the southern Sindh province. The cause of Tuesday’s derailment is yet to be established, and an investigation is underway.
