Five killed, over 30 injured as Rahman Baba Express derails near Multan

MULTAN:

At least five passengers were killed and more than 30 injured when 14 coaches of the Karachi-to-Peshawar Rahman Baba Express derailed near Multan on Tuesday, a railway spokesperson said, while a one-and-a-half-year-old girl remained missing.

Rescue operations were underway at the accident site, while officials dispatched a relief train and a medical van from Multan to assist passengers. Train traffic on both the up and down tracks was suspended after the accident, and Multan Division railway officials were on site.

Rescue teams have evacuated 53 passengers from the train, while an emergency has been declared at Nishtar Hospital in Multan. Train services passing through Multan have been disrupted following the accident, and an inquiry committee has been formed to determine its cause.

Initial reports suggest that most passengers aboard the train were from Karachi.

According to the train’s guard in charge, the driver felt a sudden jolt near Sher Shah, and several coaches derailed just seconds later. However, it is too early to determine whether the accident occurred due to a fault in the railway track or because a part of one of the coaches fell onto the track.

Meanwhile, some passengers alleged that the driver had been operating the train at excessive speed. According to them, they had asked the driver to reduce speed near Bahawalpur because passengers in the fourth and fifth coaches were experiencing severe jolts. They claimed that the train’s speed was not reduced.

The Divisional Superintendent of Railways in Multan said it was too early to comment on the cause of the accident. An inquiry committee had been formed to investigate the incident.

Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi is also expected to arrive in Multan shortly to assess the situation.

Train services on railway lines passing through Multan have been suspended following the accident. Railway cranes are being used to remove the derailed coaches, a process that is expected to take several hours.

Until the track is cleared, trains passing through Multan will be diverted via alternative routes through Lodhran and Khanewal, potentially causing delays for passengers.

Meanwhile, the Nishtar Hospital administration in Multan declared an emergency following the incident, its spokesperson said.

According to the spokesperson, 25 people injured in the accident had been transferred to the hospital, three of whom were brought in dead. One injured patient was in critical condition, while 21 patients were receiving treatment.

The hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr Abdul Qadir Khan, and vice chancellor, Dr Mehnaz Khakwani, visited the emergency ward to review arrangements. The spokesperson said the injured were being provided with the best possible medical facilities and additional staff had been called in to assist with the response.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed concern over the derailment of the Rahman Baba Express and offered condolences to the families of those killed, while wishing the injured passengers a speedy recovery. He directed the relevant authorities to ensure assistance and all possible facilities for affected passengers and called for a transparent investigation to determine the cause of the accident.

Separately, Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi expressed deep grief over the incident, extended sympathies to the bereaved families and directed officials to ensure the best possible medical facilities for the injured.

He said compensation would be paid to deceased and injured passengers in accordance with the railway insurance policy and directed the Federal Government Inspector of Railways to investigate the accident.

Pakistan Railways has faced repeated accidents involving passenger and freight trains, raising concerns over the safety and maintenance of its ageing infrastructure. In April 2026, it was reported that more than 20 railway accidents had occurred since the start of the year, including derailments, collisions and mechanical failures.

These included the Tezgam Express derailment near Lodhran, the Shalimar Express collision with a stationary freight train near Rohri, and the Karakoram Express separating into two sections near Khanewal after a coupling failure.

In a report released in December 2025, Pakistan Railways said it recorded 95 accidents between January 1 and December 20, 2025, including 46 passenger-train derailments and 43 freight-train derailments. The report cited limited modernisation of tracks, signalling systems and safety infrastructure as continuing challenges.

A May 2025 report also highlighted the condition of the railway network, saying more than 6,500 kilometres of track had exceeded its natural lifespan. Railway expert Muhammad Sabir Awan cited incorrect track alignment and non-compliance with safety procedures as causes of derailments, while former chief engineer Muhammad Afzal Bajwa stressed the need for funding to upgrade ageing tracks.