At least four people dead and several injured after passenger train derails in Pakistan's Punjab | Top updates

At least four people were killed and several others injured on Tuesday (local time) after all 14 carriages of a passenger train derailed near the Sher Shah Bridge in Multan, Pakistan’s Punjab province, local media reported.

The AP, citing railways spokesman Kaleem Akhtar, said the Rehman Baba Express was traveling from Karachi to Peshawar when it derailed at Sher Shah around 5:15 a.m. on Tuesday.

Here are the main updates on the train derailment in Pakistan:

1. In an interview with Dawn, train driver Rizwan Abbas recalled that the train was traveling at a speed of 100 kilometers per hour. He said, “The signal was clear and as I was passing through the Sher Shah station area, I suddenly felt a push. He added that he braked and the train stopped. However, when he got off the locomotive, he found that the passenger cars had derailed and were lying outside the tracks.

2. A rescue operation was launched after the incident. A spokeswoman confirmed that rescuers recovered all four bodies and evacuated injured passengers from the train’s 14 carriages. The injured were taken to Nishtar Hospital. Paramedics and paramedics were sent to the scene, and rescue teams continued to work at the scene of the accident.

3. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari expressed their condolences and ordered the authorities to provide the best possible medical care to the injured. Sharif also asked the relevant authorities to speed up rescue operations, Geo News reported.

4. According to rescue officials, 13 coaches were cleared while work continued on the remaining coach. A passenger told reporters that workers had repaired the nuts and bolts of bus number nine near Rohri before the accident.

5. The claim has not been independently verified and any link between the reported repair and the derailment remains unclear. According to the report, Pakistan Railways and relevant officials are expected to provide more details as rescue operations continue.

6. Quoting Railway Minister Hanif Abbasi, Dawn reported that the Federal Government Inspectorate of Railways (FGIR) has been appointed as the investigating officer. Abbasi said, “We have instructed the FGIR to investigate the incident. However, I cannot confirm that five passengers have died as the Divisional Superintendent of Railways, Multan, has reported four deaths.”

7. After the accident, Pakistan Railways opened 24-hour information and assistance counters at major stations. Divisional Commercial Officers (DCOs) have been instructed to arrange alternative transport and provide ticket replacement if necessary.

A replacement train carrying more than 500 passengers of Rehman Baba Express left Sher Shah station, the statement said. The railways has also coordinated with the Multan district administration to provide buses to passengers who choose to complete their journey by road.