A passenger train derailed on Sunday, August 6, resulting in at least 30 deaths, leaving dozens of passengers injured.
On its journey from Karachi to Rawalpindi, Pakistan, the Hazara Express train experienced a massive derailment accident near the Sarhari railway station in Nawabshah, according to Mahmoodur Rehman Lakho, a senior railway authority.
The incident, with ten cars derailed and toppling over, resulted in casualties that included women and children. Emergency response teams were on-site to aid passengers, completing their operations by the end of Sunday. Injured individuals were taken to Nawabshah’s Peoples Hospital.
During a gathering in Punjab, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shared his condolences and expressed hope for the recovery of the injured.
Railway operations on the main line were temporarily halted to address the situation. Minister for Railways Khwaja Saad Rafiq mentioned potential mechanical issues or sabotage as causes for the derailment, with an investigation currently in progress.
This event follows a similar accident two months prior involving the Millat Express train, which derailed and then was hit by another train near Daharki.
The state of the railway system in Pakistan, marked by outdated equipment and systems, continues to be a point of concern.