Four people were killed and 30 others injured after a passenger train derailed in central Pakistan early on Tuesday, police and a spokesperson for Pakistan Railways said. Railway spokesperson Kalim Akhtar said the train was travelling from the southern coastal city of Karachi to the north-western city of Peshawar when it derailed in Sher Shah, Punjab province.
Rescue teams recover bodies and evacuate the injured
Akhtar said rescue teams recovered the bodies of the four victims and worked to evacuate the injured from the train’s 14 carriages. The injured were taken to hospital for treatment, while emergency teams and paramedics were sent to the scene to take part in rescue and medical operations.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed their sorrow over the incident in separate statements. They also urged the relevant authorities to provide the injured with the best possible medical care.
Train accidents are relatively common in Pakistan, where the railway network has suffered for decades from a lack of investment, deteriorating tracks and ageing signalling systems. In 2023, 10 carriages of a passenger train derailed in southern Pakistan, killing 30 people and injuring more than 90 others.
