Pakistan13 October, 20262 min read
Passenger Train Derails Near Sher Shah Bridge In Punjab, Killing Four And Injuring 30
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Rehman Baba Express derailed near Sher Shah Bridge in Multan, Punjab. Killing four or five people and injuring about 30.
Derailment in Punjab
A passenger train derailed near Sher Shah in Punjab province, killing four people and injuring 30 others, police and a Pakistan Railways spokesman said. The train was traveling from Karachi to Peshawar when it derailed in Sher Shah city, railway spokesman Kaleem Akhtar said. Rescuers recovered all four bodies and evacuated the injured from the train’s 14 cars, and the injured were taken to a hospital for treatment.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari expressed grief in separate statements and urged authorities to provide the best possible medical care to the injured. Police said the accident occurred at around 5.15 am, and the Rehman Baba Express derailed near Sher Shah Bridge in Multan, according to Geo News.
Casualty counts diverge
Pakistan-based Geo News reported that at least five people were killed and 30 injured, while CGTN said at least four were killed as the train derailed near Pakistan’s Multan. Pakistan Railways spokesperson Kaleem Akhtar said the Rehman Baba Express derailed in Sher Shah, and the injured were taken to Nishtar Hospital in Multan for treatment. Rescue officials said 13 coaches had been cleared, while rescue operations were continuing in one coach, as police and rescue officials were quoted by Geo News.
A passenger told reporters that workers had repaired the nuts and bolts of coach number nine near Rohri before the accident, and Geo News said the claim has not been independently verified. The Economic Times said the cause of the derailment has not yet been officially established, and Pakistan Railways and relevant authorities were expected to provide further details as rescue operations progress.
Rescue, hospital care
Shehbaz Sharif directed relevant authorities to speed up rescue operations and ensure the injured received the best possible medical treatment without delay, as police and rescue officials continued operations at the accident site. Asif Ali Zardari expressed grief over the deaths in separate statements and directed authorities to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured, according to The Times of India. The injured were shifted to Nishtar Hospital in Multan for treatment, while rescue teams continued operations at the accident site, police and rescue officials were quoted as saying by Geo News.
Pakistan Railways spokesperson Kaleem Akhtar told reporters that the train was traveling from Karachi to Peshawar, and he said the train derailed in Sher Shah. The sources also tied the incident to broader railway safety concerns, with Reuters-style coverage noting Pakistan’s railway system has suffered from decades of underinvestment, outdated tracks and aging signal systems.