Pakistan: One person killed, 24 others injured after train derails near Lodhran railway station

Islamabad, Aug 17 (IANS) One person was killed and at least 24 passengers were injured after four carriages of the Awam Express, en route from Peshawar to Karachi, derailed near Lodhran railway station in Pakistan early on Sunday, local media reports said.

Lodhran Deputy Commissioner (DC) Lubna Nazir stated that the injured people include 16 men, four women and three children, Geo News reported. Among those injured, 17 were given first aid and discharged, while three passengers were undergoing treatment at the District Headquarters Hospital but are out of danger.

Earlier, the official had stated that 19 people were impacted in the incident. However, the number of injured people increased after more passengers were moved out of the derailed train. According to initial reports, the injured people were taken to the Bahawal Victoria Hospital for treatment, where one of them succumbed to injuries.

Rescue teams have completed evacuation operations on the train. Nazir said: "The exact cause of the derailment is still under investigation."

Pakistan's Federal Minister for Railways, Khawaja Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, expressed grief over the death of a person and ordered a probe into the accident. He instructed the officials to submit a report within seven days. The minister also asked authorities to ensure all injured people receive complete medical treatment. Abbasi said no trains were impacted on the up track and instructed the restoration of the down track.

In July, three coaches of the Jaffar Express derailed after a blast occurred on the railway track near Shikarpur in Sindh, leaving one passenger injured and disrupting train operations in the area. Multiple coaches derailed off the track due to the blast, disrupting the railway operations on the impacted route.

Earlier in June, five coaches of the Jaffar Express derailed after an explosion struck the track near Sindh's Jacobabad, according to reports. The train was heading from Peshawar to Quetta. The railway line was damaged and train services were disrupted due to the explosion. However, no casualties were reported.

--IANS

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