LAHORE, July 13: Minister of State Ishaq Khan Khakwani has posed a number of questions regarding the trains’ collision at the Sarhad Railway Station near Ghotki. He told Dawn by phone from Sukkur on Wednesday night that it had to be ascertained why the last station allowed Karachi Express to move on when Quetta Express was stationed at the Sarhad railway station. Why Quetta Express was standing on the main line after its locomotive had developed a fault? Why the driver missed the signal?
“Corrective measures needed to be taken and if at all there is negligence on the part of anyone. We have to put in more modern system if the tragedy was because of human error,” he said.
Minister Khakwani was optimistic that normal train operations would resume by Thursday morning. The down loop line was cleared at 10.35am and both up and down traffic had been crossing since then.
He was all praise for the villagers, who were extending help to the victims side by side with army, Rangers personnel and civil officials.
“When I was leaving Sarhad station, the villagers brought a truck load of edibles. Their response is commendable and reaffirmed my faith kay insaniat abhi zinda hai.
The Edhi’s came up with the biggest fleet of ambulances,” he said.