Five Killed, Over 30 Injured as Passenger Train Derails in Punjab

 

At least five people lost their lives, and more than 30 were injured early Tuesday morning when a passenger train derailed in Punjab, in one of the deadliest rail accidents Pakistan has seen this year.

The 14-car train was travelling from Karachi to Peshawar when it went off the tracks near Sher Shah at around 5:30am local time. Footage from the scene showed carriages tilted and scattered across the rails, as passengers gathered their belongings and rescue teams moved in.

Pakistan Railways spokesperson Kaleem Akhtar confirmed that four bodies were recovered at the site and 35 injured passengers were pulled from the wreckage. One more passenger later died in hospital. The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of life and directed authorities to ensure the injured receive immediate medical care.

The cause of the derailment is not yet known, and officials say it is too early to draw conclusions. "Until the investigation comes to an end, we cannot determine the true cause of this incident," the Railways spokesperson said.