By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: A passenger train derailed on Sunday in southern Pakistan, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 80 others, officials said.
The accident occurred near Sahara Railway Station in Nawabshah district, about 170 miles northeast of Karachi, the country’s largest city. The train, the Hazara Express, was traveling from Karachi to Rawalpindi, the garrission city close to capital Islamabad.
District Health Officer , who was at the site of the accident, put the toll at 20.
“Twenty bodies and 50 injured have been taken to Government Hospital, Sarhari,” Faiz Mohammad Mari, a health offcials in Sanghar, told reporters. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital, where some were in critical condition.
The authorities said they feared that the death toll could rise as more bodies were recovered from the wreckage.
The cause of the derailment was not immediately clear. Some officials suggested that it could have been a deliberate act of sabotage, while others said it could have been a mechanical failure.
The train had 17 coaches, with a total capacity of 1,022 passengers.
According to the police, 10 coaches went off the tracks, trapping many people inside. Rescue workers used heavy machinery and cutting tools to free the victims.
Footage aired on television channels showed a large number of passengers gathered near the derailed bogies, some of which were laying on their sides.
The derailment disrupted rail traffic in the region, affecting thousands of travelers. The railway authorities said it could take up to 18 hours to restore normal operations.
The railway minister, Khawaja Saad Rafique, said authorities had been alerted about Sunday’s incident.
Rafique said the train was travelling at a reasonable speed, which initial investigations showed. It was either a mechanical fault or it was developed, he said on the possible causes.
“We will provide relief first and then investigate,” he said at a news conference in Lahore. “We will not spare anyone who is found responsible for this tragedy.”
State-run Pakistan Television reported that the Pakistan Army and Rangers launched immediate relief activities at the accident site, with additional troops called in from Hyderabad and Skarund.
It said that army aviation helicopters were also sent for the rescue effort and personnel were also reaching the site with food items.
“The rescue operation of Pakistan Army will continue till the transfer of the last injured to the hospital and the rehabilitation of the people trapped at the accident site,” it added.
Pakistan’s rail system is notorious for its poor safety record and lack of maintenance. Accidents are common, often due to human error, aging equipment or inadequate infrastructure.
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