Spokesman Report

Nawab Shah :At least 30 people were dead and over 100 sustained injuries when 10 bogies of Hazara Express travelling from Karachi to Rawalpindi derailed near Nawab Shah,

Railway officials reported that the tragic incident occurred near Saharai Railway Station, located between Shahzadpur and Nawabshah when the Hazara Express was en route from Karachi.

The derailment resulted in 10 bogies veering off the tracks, leading to chaos and injuries among the passengers on board.

The injured and bodies were transferred to People Medical University (PMU) Hospital in Nawabshah.

DC Nawabshah Shehryar Gul Memon said an emergency has been declared in nearby hospitals while the rescue operation is also underway. He further said ambulances and the rescue staffers have been sent to the spot to gear up for relief operation.

The cause of the derailment is not yet known as officials reached the scene to probe the incident.

Meanwhile, on the directions of DG Rangers Sindh, Major General Azhar Waqas, paramilitary forces have left for the spot to assist the civil administration in the rescue and relief operation.

Addressing a press conference, Minister for Railways, Khawaja Saad Rafique said as per initial reports, the train was moving at a normal speed.

He said the ‘sabotage’ and ‘mechanical fault’ cannot be ruled out in the major train accident.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah confirmed Sunday that 30 passengers including women and children were killed in the Hazara Express train derail incident .

Sindh CM Syed Murad Ali Shah visited People’s Medical University (PMU) Hospital Nawabshah and inquired about the health of the wounded passengers.

He told the media that the exact number of wounded persons cannot be ascertained yet as the rescue operation is still underway.

Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said in a press conference that 1,000 passengers were travelling through the Hazara Express which met accident at 1:17 pm.

He said that the rail track was in good condition at the incident’s site and probe is being conducted on different aspects. Rafique said that the possibility of ‘sabotage act’ cannot be ruled out.

AEN Ali Magsi said that the first relief train has reached Sarhari from Kotri to facilitate the Hazara Express passengers and the second relief train reached Nawabshah from Rohri.

DCO Railway Saba Jabeen said that Hazara Express train left Karachi’s City Station with 645 passengers at 7:40 am today. The passenger train contained 19 coaches and 11 of them were affected in the derail incident.

She said that other trains will be departed to their destinations from alternative tracks. DCO Jabeen added that the railway administration is in contact with the families of the affected passengers.

GOC Hyderabad Muhammad Hussain told the media that it was a horrible accident in which 10 bogies were overturned after being derailed.

He said that Rescue 1122 played a vital role to rescue the passengers trapped in the bogies. “Rangers and Pakistan Army personnel pulled out passengers from the bogies. The wounded passengers were immediately sent to the hospital after giving first aid.”

The GOC Hyderabad also thanked locals who took part in rescue activities with the civil and military personnel.

Hussain said that cranes of the Pakistan Army and civil institutions have reached the accident’s site and removed all bogies from the track. The rail track will be cleared in three to four hours, he added.

He said that the reason for the accident will be ascertained after an inquiry.