Pakistan Railways refutes report of multiple injuries in Sheikhupura train collision

Published September 24, 2023
Passengers can seen stranded after Mianwali Express met an accident while travelling from Mianwali to Lahore on September 24, 2023. — Photo by author
Passengers can seen stranded after Mianwali Express met an accident while travelling from Mianwali to Lahore on September 24, 2023. — Photo by author

Pakistan Railways on Sunday refuted media reports of multiple injuries during a collision between two trains in Punjab’s Sheikhupura.

At 4:50am today, the Mianwali Express, enroute Lahore, rammed into another train parked in the loop line at the Qila Sattar Shah station.

“All passengers aboard the train remained safe during the accident,” Railways spokesperson Babar Ali told Dawn.com, adding that one passenger, who had a pre-existing heart condition, was wounded and had been moved to the hospital.

“Reports of 31 or 21 injured persons in the Mianwali Express accident are based on lies,” the railways spokesperson clarified.

Ali confirmed that the track was cleared by 7:30am shortly after which Mianwali Express continued its journey to Lahore.

“Train driver Imran Sarwar and assistant driver Muhammad Bilal have been suspended for negligence,” he said, adding that an inquiry committee had been formed on the directives of the Ministry of Railways.

The committee, Ali added, had been told to submit a report on the incident within 24 hours.

Commenting on the accident, Railways Chairman Mazhar Ali Shah said action would be taken against those responsible according to the law while CEO Shahid Aziz asserted that there would be no compromise on safety.

At least 30 people died and several others were left wounded after a train derailed near Nawabshah last month. During the inquiry that followed the accident, six Railways officials, including two 18-grade officers, were suspended.

Accidents and derailments occur frequently on Pakistan’s antiquated railway system, which has nearly 7,500 kilometres of track and carries more than 80 million passengers a year.

Opinion

Editorial

Deadlocked
Updated 19 Apr, 2025

Deadlocked

Politicians’ refusal to talk to each other and resolve issues has created space for a different type of rulership to take over.
Trump vs Harvard
19 Apr, 2025

Trump vs Harvard

AMONGST the ‘enemies of the people’ in Trumpian America are elite universities seen as the bastions of liberal...
External account stability
19 Apr, 2025

External account stability

DRIVEN by a major spike in workers’ remittances last month, the country’s current account posted a record ...
Paying the price
Updated 18 Apr, 2025

Paying the price

Pakistan is trapped in a relentless cycle of climate volatility.
Political solution
18 Apr, 2025

Political solution

THOUGH the BNP-M may have ended its 20-day protest sit-in outside Quetta on Wednesday, the core issues affecting...
Grave desecration
18 Apr, 2025

Grave desecration

THE desecration of 85 Muslim graves at a cemetery in Hertfordshire in the UK is a distressing act that deserves the...