Five killed, dozens injured as train derails near Multan
• Initial report attributes accident to mechanical failure
• Minister orders railways inspector to investigate incident
LAHORE: Five passengers, including a two-year-old child, were killed and 49 sustained injuries after the Peshawar-bound Rehman Baba Express derailed at Sher Shah railway station near Multan early on Tuesday morning.
The initial investigation report, which is also called a joint certificate in the railway department, has attributed the accident to a technical problem in the passenger coach, second to the locomotive.
“We concluded that the cause of derailment occurred because the hanging part of the coach No. 12430-6 (2nd from the locomotive) got stuck in the actual nose of crossing of the left turnout of crossover,” the initial report signed by various officials noted.
Meanwhile, the driver told Dawn that the train’s speed was about 100km per hour at the time of the accident. “The signals were cleared for the train to pass. And while I was passing Sher Shah station area, I felt a push all of sudden,” driver Rizwan Abbas said. According to him, he started applying the brakes and succeeded in stopping the train. “But when I came out of the locomotive and looked behind, all passenger coaches were derailed, with several of them overturned,” he explained.
“It was horrible. I cannot tell how it happened exactly. Maybe due to a problem in any of coaches, track, points system (kanta system) or any other reason,” he said, adding that the train had no faults.
Sources in Pakistan Railways (PR) said the speed of the train was 105km per hour, an approved sectional speed. They said it was apparently a mechanical fault due to which all 14 coaches derailed, adding that the death toll could have been higher had more coaches overturned.
Rescue 1122 officials said five people were killed and 49 injured. “22 passengers of the 49 were given first aid on the spot while 27 were shifted to hospital for regular treatment,” Muhammad Khalid, a Multan-based rescue official, told Dawn.
Railways Chief Executive Officer Muhammad Hafeezullah confirmed the death of five passengers. “Most of these injured passengers have been discharged from hospital. Now only seven remain in the hospital,” he said, adding that compensation for the deceased and injured passengers would be given as per policy.
Earlier, in a statement issued after the accident, Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi expressed grief over the loss of life, saying he shared the sorrow of the bereaved families.
He directed the authorities to ensure provision of the best possible medical facilities to the injured passengers and said compensation would be paid to the deceased and injured in accordance with the Pakistan Railways insurance policy, as per the statement.
The minister departed for the accident site to assess the situation and review the rescue operations. He also directed the Federal Government Inspector of Railways (FGIR) to investigate the incident.
Later, while speaking to the media, the railways minister acknowledged that it was his responsibility to ensure safe journeys for passengers. Mr Abbasi added that his ministry was working to address problems with locomotives, coaches and wagons. “All of this work will be completed by Dec 31,” Mr Abbasi said.
Asked whether he would resign, the minister said: “Have some patience. We need to investigate the incident first, and those responsible would be held accountable. In fact, I was just on a call with the prime minister. We are trying to prevent such incidents and making efforts to that end. Giving up and running away is not in our nature.”
Meanwhile, train operations via Multan were suspended after the up and down tracks were blocked due to the accident. The trains supposed to proceed via Multan were diverted via Lodhran, Jahanian and Khanewal.
According to rail authorities, a replacement train for the Rehman Baba Express, carrying more than 500 passengers, left from the accident site to drop the passengers at their destinations. Buses were also arranged in coordination with the Multan district administration for passengers wishing to continue their journeys by road.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief over the deaths caused by the derailment of the Rehman Baba Express. The president called for a transparent investigation to determine the cause of the accident.
Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2026
