Train-coaster crash

Unmanned railway crossings are veritable death traps, which continue to become scenes of tragic accidents. The train-coaster crash in Sheikhupura on Friday adds one more to the grim stats. At least 20 Sikh pilgrims died and several more were injured, some of them critically, in the collision between the Lahore-bound Shah Hussain Express and the van near an area called Sacha Soda. The Sikh pilgrims belonged to Peshawar and were visiting Nankana Sahib to condole the death of a relative.

According to Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee Secretary-General Sardar Amir Singh, the deceased belonged to three or four families. The coaster was carrying a total of 25 Sikh pilgrims when it rammed into Shah Hussain Express at 52 number level crossing in Sheikhupura, according to railways spokesperson Quratul Ain. While most news reports said the gate was unmanned, District Police Officer (DPO) Ghazi Salahuddin insisted the level crossing was closed and speculated that the driver might have tried to take a shortcut instead of waiting at the crossing, which resulted in the accident. Facts, the DPO said, will come out only after an investigation. While supervising the rescue effort, he told reporters that 25-26 people were travelling in the van, out of whom 20 had perished in the tragic episode. The victims included women and children.

Condolences, as is the ritual, started pouring in immediately. President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Bajwa expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives. Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid has ordered immediate action against those responsible for the incident. A National Assembly standing committee was recently told that there have been 384 train accidents in Pakistan since 2014. But despite calls from the opposition groups, the ministers in-charge of the railway department invariably refuse to take blame. There has never been a tradition that heads roll in the aftermath of such tragedies.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2020.

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