LAHORE: A sub-committee of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Railways has termed Shalimar express train accident ‘a first of its kind in the history of Pakistan’ wherein all coaches, brake van and locomotive (total 17) derailed after hitting a bricks-laden tractor-trolley at an unmanned level crossing between Sahianwala-Darul Hassan stations (Faisalabad-Lahore rail section) in the wee hours of Wednesday.

The committee also raised concerns over ‘out-of-merit’ appointment of the divisional superintendents (DSs) of Lahore and Karachi and various complaints, including harassing a female divisional medical officer (DMO) allegedly by the Lahore DS and sought report from the railway administration till May 29.

“Derailment of the entire train, including locomotive, has never happened in the history of our country. It is really a surprising untoward event,” MNA Waseem Qadir, member of the committee, said while telling Dawn about concerns he and other members raised during the meeting that was also attended by PR’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr Amir Ali Baloch here on Thursday.

“It happened due to high speed of the train despite the fact that the tractor-trolley driver wrongly tried to cross the unmanned level crossing without bothering to check the train on the track,” he said.

MNA, DS disagree over high speed being reason for derailment; panel seeks report on DS appointments, harassment charges

During the meeting presided over by MNA Mr Ramesh Lal (convener), Mr Waseem Qadir - a lawmaker from NA-121 (Lahore-V), said he also raised concerns over unlawful and out-of-merit appointment of the Lahore DS. He said since the Lahore DS is still working in the National Highway Authority on deputation and is yet to be repatriated, why he (a BS-19 officer) was appointed as DS after removing a grade-20 officer, last month.

Moreover, there are also complaints about misbehaviour of the DS with senior officers. And besides all this, a female DMO has also filed a complaint against the DS for harassing her. “We have asked the CEO to submit a report in next meeting of the committee regarding the illegal appointment of the DS, his attitude with the officers and the alleged harassment,” he explained.

The committee member said the issue related to [unjustified] appointment of Karachi DS also came under discussion during the meeting. He said the members wondered as to why an officer against whom an audio leak related to his alleged corruption existed already, was appointed as DS. However, according to him, the railway authorities concerned present in the meeting couldn’t explain their position in such cases.

Mr Qadir said the committee also expressed anger over absence of Lahore DS from the meeting and directed the CEO to ensure his presence in the May 29 meeting. He said the committee also sought summoning minister Hanif Abbasi in the meeting of the NA standing committee in Islamabad in a bid to know his stance over concerns raised by the sub-committee members.

The member said the committee, however, expressed satisfaction over the performance of railway police and officers in the ongoing anti-encroachment drive.

On the other hand, the rail traffic on Lahore-Faisalabad section was restored after around 30 hours. The PR authorities claim that the deployment of as many as 600 workers enabled railways to restore the traffic.

“We are still at site and busy in some allied works. As many as 600 workers are engaged in various works,” Lahore DS Mr Tariq Latif said while talking to Dawn.

To a question regarding concerns raised by the NA committee, he said he had left the charge of the post in NHA. “I knew that they (the NA sub-committee) might raise objections. This why I left the charge,” he clarified.

To a question, he said the train speed at the time of the accident was 98km per hour and the allowed speed limit on this track is 105km per hour. “I don’t think that the derailment of the whole train was due to high speed, as it happened after the train collided with the tractor-trolley and the locomotive’s iron cattle-guard broke and came under the engine wheels. And this immediately derailed the locomotive leading to derailing all passengers coaches one by one,” Mr Latif said.

Meanwhile, a preliminary inquiry has held the tractor-trolley driver responsible for the accident. “After checking all aspects carefully, it has concluded that the train (27-Up) with the load of 553 tonnes hauled by the diesel engine No 6354 passed Sahianwala station at 3.11am. The train reached at an unmanned level crossing No 108-III. A tractor-trolley having no registration number loaded with bricks came on the track and collided with the engine,” explains the report. “The driver of the tractor-trolley is held responsible for this accident,” it concludes.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2025