Awam Express derailed near Lodhran; 2 passengers killed, 22 hurt

Six coaches of the Awam Express derailed near Lodhran Railway Station, leaving two passengers dead and 22 others injured on Sunday morning, 24NewsHD TV channel reported.

According to the details, the ill-fated train, travelling from Lahore to Karachi, met with the accident in the early hours.

Rescue 1122 teams and police responded swiftly and launched a massive operation to evacuate and shift the injured to nearby hospitals. The rescue teams shifted the three passengers who were seriously injured to Bahawalpur.

According to the Rescue 1122 team, one of the two deceased passengers was identified as 32-year-old Waqas, a resident of Khushab.

Railway authorities sent the passengers of Awam Express to Karachi by another train.

On the other hand, railway authorities have started the work of restoring the track. Railway officials confirmed that an investigation has been launched into the derailment.

The cause of the mishap is yet to be determined, though similar accidents in recent weeks have highlighted the fragile condition of Pakistan’s railway infrastructure.

Assistant Commissioner Erum Shehzadi said that after completion of the inquiry real cause behind the incident will be determined. The AC said that the incident occurred at 2.10 am.

 As per the channel report, railway authorities have continued to work and have fully restored the down-track of the Lodhran Railway Junction for train traffic, and the damaged bogies have been lifted from the loop line and set aside.

Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi summons emergency meeting

After receiving a report of the Awam Express derailment, Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi cancelled his scheduled visit to Karachi and departed for Lahore to preside over an emergency meeting at Pakistan Railways Headquarters today.

The federal minister will also visit Lodhran tomorrow and will examine the site of the incident. Hanif Abbasi said that no one will be allowed to play with human lives.

He vowed that stern action would be taken against those persons who would be found involved in such kind of incident.

He said that reforms in Pakistan Railways have already started and people will bear its fruits soon.

It is pertinent to mention here that just days earlier, two bogies of the Musa Pak Express also derailed near Raiwind Railway Station, in which four people were injured.

Railway insiders attributed that incident to a brake failure.

Reporters: Rana Asif Hanif, Tayyab Saif