ATTOCK, Feb 26: Pakistan Railway authorities and investigating agencies are probing into the removal of fish-plates from railway tracks by saboteurs near Attock bridge about 20 kilometre away from here, sources told Dawn.

According to the sources, a few days ago some terrorists removed iron plates from the Peshawar-Karachi track and fled away.

However, someone reported the matter to the railway authorities, which immediately stopped the Karachi-bound Awami Express at Khairabad railway station. Meanwhile, traffic between Attock city and Khairabad was also suspended.

High-ranking railway authorities and a team of engineers reached the spot within two hours of the receipt of information and screwed the iron plates to the rails.

Divisional Transportation Officer (DTO) Railway, Peshawar Division, Zafar Ali Shah told this correspondent that timely intervention averted a major accident that might have caused death of hundreds of people.

Superintendent Railway police, Naik Mohammad Khan told this correspondent that a case was registered and investigations were under way.

CONVICTED: Additional District and Sessions Judge, Attock, Sardar Tahir Sabir on Wednesday awarded ten-year rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs75,000 each to three drug traffickers in a drug smuggling case.