At least seven people were killed and several others were injured when the Peshawar-bound Rehman Baba Express derailed near Sher Shah Railway Station in Multan district on Tuesday, officials said.
According to an initial investigation report by the PR, the derailment was likely caused by a fault in a passenger coach.
Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi has appointed the federal government inspector of railways (FGIR) as the inquiry officer.
“We have appointed the FGIR to probe the incident,” Abbasi told.
Train driver Rizwan Abbas said the train was travelling at 100 kilometres per hour. “The signal was clear, and as I was passing through the Sher Shah station area, I suddenly felt a push,” he said.
He said he applied the brakes and managed to bring the train to a stop. “When I got out of the locomotive and looked back, I saw that the passenger coaches had derailed and were lying off the tracks. It was horrible,” he said.
Abbas maintained that the train was in working order.
In an earlier statement, the railways minister expressed grief over the loss of life, saying he shared the sorrow of the bereaved families, according to an official statement. He directed the authorities to ensure the provision of the best possible medical facilities to the injured passengers and said compensation would be paid to the deceased and injured in accordance with the Pakistan Railways insurance policy, as per the statement.
Meanwhile, a replacement train for the Rehman Baba Express, carrying more than 500 passengers, departed from Sher Shah Railway Station, according to a statement. Buses were also arranged in coordination with the Multan district administration for passengers wishing to continue their journeys by road.
Speaking to the media later, the railways minister acknowledged that it was his responsibility to ensure safe journeys for passengers.
“Before this, no one even tried to focus on the mechanical condition of trains,” he said. “Even today, there are five or six trains, such as the Karakoram Express, Millat Express and Awam Express, that you cannot even look at because they seem ancient.”
He described freight wagons as “dummies” because, he said, they did not have brakes.
Abbasi added that his ministry was working to address problems with locomotives, coaches and wagons, setting Dec 31 as the deadline for the work to be completed. “All of this work will be completed by Dec 31,” Abbasi said. President Asif Ali Zardari, in a statement on X, expressed concern over the incident, extending “heartfelt condolences and sympathy” to the bereaved families. He also expressed best wishes for the injured passengers’ early recovery.