Six killed, 30 injured as passenger train derails in Pakistan

LAHORE: A passenger train derailed in Pakistan's Punjab province on Tuesday, killing at least six people and injuring 30 others, police said.

The accident occurred at around 5:15 am when the train was travelling from Karachi to Peshawar, according to police information.

The Rehman Baba Express derailed near Sher Shah Bridge in Multan.

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.

ᨊ Six people were killed, and nearly 30 have been injured in the accident, police said.

Rescue officials said all 14 coaches of the express derailed near the bridge.

A passenger told reporters that workers had repaired the nuts and bolts of coach number nine near Rohri before the accident.

The claim has not been independently verified, and it was not immediately clear whether the reported repair was linked to the derailment, the Geo report added.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief and urged authorities for best medical care to those injured in the accident.

He directed the relevant authorities to speed up rescue operations and ensure the injured received the best possible medical treatment without delay.

The cause of the derailment has not yet been officially established. Pakistan Railways and relevant authorities are expected to provide further details as rescue operations progress.

Accidents on Pakistan's decaying rail system are common.

In August 2023, the derailment of the Hazara Express near Nawabshah in Sindh killed at least 30 people and injured more than 100, raising renewed concerns about railway safety and maintenance.