At least five passengers were killed and more than 40 others sustained injuries after multiple coaches of the Peshawar-bound Rehman Baba Express derailed near Sher Shah Railway Station in the Multan district of Punjab early Tuesday morning.
The passenger train, which originated from Karachi with approximately 1,000 travelers on board, jumped the tracks at approximately 5:15 AM near the Sher Shah Bridge junction. Several bogies overturned on the embankment, prompting immediate mass rescue operations by district administration and emergency services.
Emergency Rescue Operations and Hospital Alerts
Punjab Rescue 1122 dispatched dozens of ambulances and emergency medical teams to the crash site. First responders worked to extricate trapped passengers from mangled carriages before transferring the wounded to Nishtar Hospital in Multan, where medical superintendents declared an emergency across surgical and trauma wards.
Hospital officials confirmed that the deceased included women and minors, while at least eight critically injured passengers are currently receiving intensive medical treatment. Pakistan Railways dispatched a specialized relief train and heavy cranes from the Multan railway division to clear the wreckage and restore track access.
Inquiry Ordered and Rail Traffic Suspended
According to initial statements from train driver Rizwan Abbas, the locomotive was operating under a clear signal at roughly 100 km/h when sudden track turbulence forced an emergency brake application, precipitating the derailment. Dual-track railway traffic between Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar was temporarily suspended while engineering crews inspected the permanent way.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the loss of innocent lives, directing Pakistan Railways to extend every medical facility to the victims. Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi confirmed that the Federal Government Inspector of Railways (FGIR) has been tasked with conducting an exhaustive technical inquiry to establish the precise cause of the accident, while financial compensation packages were announced for the families of the victims. For continuous updates on domestic developments, visit our Pakistan national news coverage.