BAHAWALPUR: Railway minister Hanif Abbasi has announced formation of a committee to conduct a probe and identify the causes of the recent derailment of the Awam Express coaches at Lodhran junction, which claimed life of a passenger.

He was talking to the media at Bahawalpur after his visit to the Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH), where he inquired after the passengers who were injured in the derailment.

The minister said the three-member committee has been tasked to probe the accident’s causes and submit its report within a period of three days.

He said that in the light of the inquiry report, the railway officials found guilty would be taken to task. He added that the derailment was result of negligence and those found responsible for it won’t be spared.

On the occasion, the minister said new trains were being introduced in the country, for which new agreements with some private companies were about to be finalised. He remarked that in fact the Pakistan Railways was as a chain uniting the whole country and its development will uplift the whole country.

Mr Abbasi announced the upgrade of the railway junctions of Lodhran and Bahawalpur, regretting that the former even lacked the basic facility like washrooms for passengers.

He added that Lodhran junction’s upgrade would be carried out within the next 60 days, while passengers would be provided more facilities at Bahawalpur stations, which has a new beautiful building now.

He also referred to the improved sanitation conditions at the Lahore, Rawalpindi and other railway stations and said that with the assistance of the concerned deputy commissioners, sanitation will also be improved at Bahawalpur and Lodhran stations.

The minister lauded the performance of the district administration, Rescue 1122 staff and Lodhran DHQ hospital staff for their performance in the rescue and relief operations following Awam Express derailment.

He offered condolence to the family of a passenger Waqas who died in the accident.

BVH Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Quaide-e-Azam Medical College Principal Prof Dr Sufia Farrukh briefed the minister about the injured passengers’ treatment.

MINOR GIRL RAPED: An 11-year old girl student was allegedly raped at 25/BC village, in the limits of Baghdadul Jadid police station on Sunday night.

According to police spokesperson, FIR No 1688/25 has been registered under section 376 of the PPC on the complaint of the victim’s father Aslam who said his daughter ‘T’ had gone to learn the Holy Quran at a local mosque.

He said when the girl did not return till late in the evening, he along with some others started looking for her.

He said that during the search, they heard screams of her daughter from nearby fields. On reaching there, they found the suspect ‘A’, who was allegedly raping the girl and on seeing them managed to flee, leaving his shoes there.

The PRO said a police team has been formed by DPO Muhammad Hassan Iqbal to arrest the alleged rapist.

ARRESTED: Bahawalpur Crime Control Department (CCD) claimed to have arrested a suspected criminals who was injured in an ‘encounter’ on Nothern bypass near Judge Wali Puli on Jhangiwali Road, Bahawalpur, on Monday.

According to officials, a CCD team spotted two motorcyclists and signaled them to stop, but they opened fire on the police, damaging their vehicle.

The police returned the fire and after the firing stopped, one of the suspects, identified as Ghulam Abbas, alias Babar Arian, a resident of Bahawalgarh in Kahrorepucca was found lying injured.

The CCD claimed the suspect was injured in the firing by his own accomplice, Akbar, who managed to flee.

Police claimed to have recovered a snatched mobile phone from the injured suspect, who was admitted to hospital.

They said Ghulam Abbas was involved in six criminal cases. The police have registered a case against Abbas and his fleeing accomplice for opening fire on the CCD team.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2025