LAHORE/BAHAWALPUR: A Karachi-bound Awam Express derailed near Lodhran on Sunday morning after hitting a sand-hump, reportedly due to brake failure. The accident left one passenger dead and 33 others injured.
Initial findings suggested the train driver was at fault for not applying brakes in time and attempting to stop at high speed. However, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi has ordered a thorough inquiry, appointing the federal government inspector of railways to investigate and submit a detailed report.
The Awam Express had departed Lahore the previous evening and was en route to Karachi when it received reception signals for Line No. 5 near Lodhran, about 400 km from Lahore. The driver, allegedly due to overspeeding, failed to halt the train, which then struck the sand-hump and derailed.
Passengers trapped in the affected coaches cried for help before managing to climb out. Rescue 1122 teams later arrived at the site, shifting the injured to hospital, where one passenger, identified as 37-year-old Waqas from Khushab, succumbed to his injuries.
According to an internal railway report, the locomotive and five coaches, including a luggage van, were derailed. A relief train from Multan was dispatched to remove the damaged coaches and restore traffic on Main Line-1. The accident caused delays for at least four other trains.
Read Top Stories
While the preliminary probe blamed the driver, a senior Pakistan Railways official claimed faulty coaches might have contributed to the crash. The officer, requesting anonymity, said several coaches were likely “dummy” (without brakes) despite being shown as operational on paper. If true, this would mean the train was running with five or six defective coaches, making it difficult to stop in time.
The official also warned that much of the existing passenger and freight rolling stock is outdated and prone to accidents.
During an emergency meeting, Minister Abbasi reprimanded railways officials, criticising them for failing to ensure passenger safety and directing a comprehensive probe into both human and technical failures.