A passenger train derailed in Pakistan’s Punjab province early Tuesday, killing at least five people and injuring dozens more, officials said. Some reports put the death toll at five.
The Rehman Baba Express was traveling from the southern port city of Karachi to the northwestern city of Peshawar when all 14 of its coaches left the tracks near Sher Shah Bridge in the Multan area, Geo News reported, citing police and rescue officials.
Railway spokesman Kaleem Akhtar said rescuers recovered all four bodies and evacuated the injured, according to the Associated Press. Turkiye Today, citing a passenger, put the time of the accident at about 5:15 a.m. (0015 GMT).
What We Know So Far
The injured were taken to hospitals for treatment. Pakistan Railways’ casualty list shows 41 injured, with three discharged and 38 sent to Nishtar Hospital in Multan, Turkiye Today reported. At least 13 of the victims are minors, it said.
The AP reported that one injured person died before he could be transported, which rescue officials said may account for a fifth death. Emergency responders and paramedics were sent to the scene.
Pakistan Railways opened round the clock help desks at all major stations to assist travelers. Divisional commercial officers were told to arrange alternative travel and ticket refunds where needed. The railway said services running through Lodhran and Jahanian are back to normal.
What Authorities Are Saying
Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi told Dawn that the government has appointed the Federal Government Inspector of Railways to investigate the accident. He said he could not confirm five deaths, since the railway’s divisional superintendent in Multan had reported four.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif voiced concern, directed authorities to speed up rescue work and ordered immediate medical treatment for the injured. President Asif Ali Zardari and Sharif also expressed grief in separate statements and urged authorities to provide the best possible care to the injured.
Differing Accounts
The sources do not agree on the toll. The AP’s lead reported five dead and 35 injured, while Turkiye Today reported at least five killed and more than 30 injured. The Independent, which used an earlier AP version, reported four dead and 30 injured, and Dawn quoted the railways minister as saying he could confirm only four deaths. The railway’s own casualty list showed 41 injured. The location is also described differently: Turkiye Today called it eastern Punjab, while the AP described central Pakistan and a derailment in Sher Shah city. Officials have not reconciled the figures.
Why This Matters
Train accidents are relatively common in Pakistan, where the railway system has suffered from decades of underinvestment, outdated tracks and aging signal systems, the AP reported.
The worst recent accident came in August 2023, when the Hazara Express derailed near Nawabshah in southern Sindh province, killing 30 people. Geo News reported more than 100 injured, while the AP reported more than 90. Tuesday’s derailment adds pressure on the railway ministry to explain the cause and show what it will do on track maintenance, particularly with at least 13 children among the casualties.
What Happens Next
The railway inspector’s inquiry will look at what caused the train to leave the tracks. No timeline has been given for its findings. The toll may be revised as Pakistan Railways and hospitals update their lists, and the injured at Nishtar Hospital continue to be treated.
Reporting drawn from Turkiye Today, the Associated Press, The Independent, Dawn and Geo News
