Centre, Sindh continue blame game for train disaster
Provincial govt's job to construct gates at crossings, insists Shaikh Rasheed
Bystanders look at wrecked parts of the bus that was hit by a train while trying to cross the tracks. At least 19 passengers were killed in the collision. PHOTO: AFP
HYDERABAD:
As the families who lost their loved ones in an accident between a train and a coach in Sukkur district collected the bodies on Saturday, the federal and provincial authorities continued their attempts to pin responsibility for the tragedy on each other.
At least 19 people died after a passenger coach tried to cross an unmanned railway crossing and was hit by the Pakistan Express, travelling from Karachi to Multan, near Rohri. The train dragged part of the wrecked coach several hundred metres before screeching to a halt on the tracks.
Stating that the accident was a result of the bus driver's negligence, Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed claimed that it was the job of the provincial government to construct gates at railway crossings. Adding that there were around 3,000 unmanned railway crossings between Karachi and Peshawat, he requested Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to release pending funds to the railways department so that the gates could be completed, while also asking him to abolish all unmanned railway crossings in Sindh.
Meanwhile, Sindh Transport Minister Syed Awais Qadir Shah held the railways department responsible for the mishap, asking them to man the Jaro Maa railway crossing in Rohri, where the accident happened. He claimed he had requested the railways authorities to deploy staff at the Jaro Maa railway crossing, but they did not take any action. He further argued that a gate at the crossing would have prevented the accident.
Sukkur commissioner Shafique Mahesar confirmed 19 deaths on Saturday. The deceased included Abdul Waheed, Shahid Hussain, Zafar Iqbal, Asif Javed, Muhammad Ahsaan, Faizullah Abdul Kareem, Mariam Gul Ahmed, Pyar Ali Ujjar and Aitbar Ali Ujjar, Khushab'd Najma Sultana, Muhammad Ameen, and Ghulam Fareed, among others.
Dr Bashir Ahmad Solangi of Civil Hospital, Sukkur, stated that 26 injured passengers were receiving treatment at the hospital, while eight people who were critically injured were shifted to Chandka Medical College Hospital, Larkana. Meanwhile, over a dozen bodies were handed over to the heirs.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2020.
As the families who lost their loved ones in an accident between a train and a coach in Sukkur district collected the bodies on Saturday, the federal and provincial authorities continued their attempts to pin responsibility for the tragedy on each other.
At least 19 people died after a passenger coach tried to cross an unmanned railway crossing and was hit by the Pakistan Express, travelling from Karachi to Multan, near Rohri. The train dragged part of the wrecked coach several hundred metres before screeching to a halt on the tracks.
Stating that the accident was a result of the bus driver's negligence, Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed claimed that it was the job of the provincial government to construct gates at railway crossings. Adding that there were around 3,000 unmanned railway crossings between Karachi and Peshawat, he requested Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to release pending funds to the railways department so that the gates could be completed, while also asking him to abolish all unmanned railway crossings in Sindh.
Meanwhile, Sindh Transport Minister Syed Awais Qadir Shah held the railways department responsible for the mishap, asking them to man the Jaro Maa railway crossing in Rohri, where the accident happened. He claimed he had requested the railways authorities to deploy staff at the Jaro Maa railway crossing, but they did not take any action. He further argued that a gate at the crossing would have prevented the accident.
Sukkur commissioner Shafique Mahesar confirmed 19 deaths on Saturday. The deceased included Abdul Waheed, Shahid Hussain, Zafar Iqbal, Asif Javed, Muhammad Ahsaan, Faizullah Abdul Kareem, Mariam Gul Ahmed, Pyar Ali Ujjar and Aitbar Ali Ujjar, Khushab'd Najma Sultana, Muhammad Ameen, and Ghulam Fareed, among others.
Dr Bashir Ahmad Solangi of Civil Hospital, Sukkur, stated that 26 injured passengers were receiving treatment at the hospital, while eight people who were critically injured were shifted to Chandka Medical College Hospital, Larkana. Meanwhile, over a dozen bodies were handed over to the heirs.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2020.