Six people were killed and more than 30 injured when all 15 coaches of the Rahman Baba Express, travelling from Karachi to Peshawar, derailed near Sher Shah Bridge in Multan, Punjab. According to details, the accident occurred at around 5:15am when all 15 coaches of the speeding Rahman Baba Express derailed and overturned. A passenger revealed that the nuts and bolts of Coach 9 had been repaired near Rohri during the journey. Rescue officials said a total of six bodies, including one more recovered from the affected coaches, and more than 30 injured people were immediately shifted to Nishtar Hospital. 

The hospital administration declared an emergency and is providing medical treatment to the injured. The rescue operation at the site has been completed, but a search operation remains under way for a one-and-a-half-year-old girl who went missing during the accident. The Divisional Superintendent of Railways said it was too early to comment on the final causes of the accident. However, a high-level committee has been formed to investigate the incident and is collecting all evidence.

Restoration work on the railway track is progressing rapidly, and the down track will be fully restored within the next 3 to 4 hours. Alternative coaches have been provided to transport the affected train’s other passengers to their destinations or railway stations. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif took strict notice of the tragic derailment of the Rahman Baba Express in Multan. He expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed and issued strict instructions to ensure the immediate provision of the best medical facilities to the injured. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)