7-8-2023 (ISLAMABAD) Nawabshah, Pakistan – In a devastating incident, a passenger train derailed in southern Pakistan, resulting in the loss of at least 28 lives and leaving numerous individuals injured. The tragic accident occurred near the Sahara railway station close to Nawabshah city in the southern Sindh province.
Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique addressed the media, describing the incident as a significant accident. He confirmed that 28 passengers had lost their lives, while many others sustained injuries. The Hazara Express, carrying approximately 1,000 passengers, derailed on a section of track where no faults had been previously reported.
Rafique stated that there could be two possible causes for the derailment: either a mechanical fault or deliberate sabotage. An investigation will be conducted to determine the exact circumstances leading to the accident.
Mohsin Syal, a railway official, informed local HUM News that eight coaches of the train had derailed. As a result, local hospitals declared an emergency as medical personnel struggled to provide treatment to the injured.
The scene at the Nawabshah Trauma Centre was chaotic, with ambulances and private cars rushing in with the injured for immediate medical attention. Distressed individuals, soaked in blood, were seen arriving at the centre. Volunteers and rescuers worked tirelessly, wading through a nearby canal to reach the injured and provide them with assistance.
The aftermath of the derailment was grim, with several passenger compartments lying on their sides, their steel undercarriages twisted and mangled. Some compartments remained upright but were off the tracks, adding to the chaos and destruction.
Younis Chandio, a senior police official, reported that some passengers were still trapped inside one of the carriages. Efforts were underway to rescue them. A relief train had been dispatched to the site to aid in the rescue operations.
The Hazara Express, a daily passenger train that commences its journey from Karachi in the south and covers a distance of approximately 1,600 kilometers to Havelian in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, endured this tragic incident. The duration of the journey typically spans around 33 hours.
This is not the first time Pakistan has witnessed a railway disaster. In June 2021, a collision between two trains near Daharki resulted in the deaths of at least 65 people and left around 150 others injured. Another tragic incident occurred in October 2019 when a fire on the Tezgam express train claimed the lives of 75 passengers. Additionally, a collision between two trains in Ghotki in 2005 resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people.
#WATCH : Train accident in Pakistan- At least 15 dead and 50 injured after 10 coaches of #Rawalpindi-bound Hazara Express derails near #Sahara Railway Station.#Pakistan #Pakistan #trainaccident #BREAKING #BreakingNews #LatestNews #Latest pic.twitter.com/Z2mLKxwn0o
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