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Pakistan Train Derails Near Multan, Killing at Least Five
The Rehman Baba Express lost all 14 coaches on a curve in Punjab province, with preliminary investigations pointing to a mechanical component failure.
What happened
The Rehman Baba Express derailed near Sher Shah Bridge in Multan, Punjab, early Tuesday morning, killing at least five people and injuring dozens more. The Karachi-to-Peshawar train was traveling at approximately 100 kilometers per hour when passengers felt a sudden jolt around 5:15 a.m. All 14 coaches came off the tracks, with several overturning and trapping passengers inside.
Rescue teams evacuated passengers from damaged carriages and transported the injured to Nishtar Hospital in Multan. An initial joint investigation report identified a metal component hanging beneath the train's second coach—specifically a truss bar hanger—as the likely cause. According to investigators, this component struck a crossing block and became lodged in the railway switch, causing the coach to be pulled and a wheel to climb onto the rail head, triggering the cascade derailment.
Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi noted that the train had undergone mechanical inspection at Samasatta Railway Junction before the accident, raising questions about oversight. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif both ordered a complete investigation and directed authorities to provide medical care to the injured. The accident disrupted rail service on the route, with relief trains and investigators dispatched to the scene.