Two express trains collided in southern Pakistan early Monday and at least 25 passengers were killed, police and rescue officials said. The Millat Express derailed and the Sir Syed Express train hit it soon afterward, said Usman Abdullah, a police officer in Ghotki district in Sindh province, where the collision occurred.
Reports suggest that the Sir Syed Express train, which was heading towards Lahore collided with the Millat Express which was derailed on the way to Sargodha from Karachi.
The major accident, in which bogies of the Millat Express train overturned, took place near Dharki, a city located in the Ghotki district of upper Sindh, it said.
Train accidents are common in Pakistan, where successive governments have paid little attention to improving the poorly maintained signal system and aging tracks.
Villagers, rescuers, and policemen were transferring the deceased and injured passengers to nearby hospitals, according to local police.
Ghotki Deputy Commissioner Usman Abdullah said at least 30 people had been killed while 50 others had been injured in the incident. However, officials were facing difficulty in rescuing citizens as the bogies had overturned, he said, adding that the death toll could increase.
Speaking to Media, the deputy commissioner said that 13 to 14 bogies had derailed in the incident while six to eight were “completely destroyed”. He said that citizens that were still trapped were a “challenge” for rescue officials.
He said that a relief train had departed from Rohri, adding that the local administration and rescue teams were present on the site of the accident. However, the official refused to give a timeframe for the rescue operation.
“This is a challenging task. It will take time to use heavy machinery to free citizens [still trapped],” he said. He said that an emergency had been declared in the district and all doctors and paramedical staff had been put on call.
“We are also establishing a medical camp to provide medical aid to citizens,” he said.
