Train accidents raise safety concerns

Growing incidents of train accidents across the country have raised serious concerns over passenger safety, with critics alleging that the railway administration has failed to effectively address the issue despite repeated directives.

According to information and data obtained by Express News, accidents involving both passenger and freight trains—ranging from derailments to collisions with stationary trains—have become increasingly frequent.

The situation has disrupted train schedules on major routes from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Sindh, with delays of several hours becoming routine, leaving passengers stranded at stations.

Sources said that since January 1, more than 20 accidents of various nature have been reported, resulting in at least three fatalities and injuries to hundreds of passengers.

In addition to human losses, railway infrastructure has also suffered damages worth millions of rupees. Among recent incidents, the Tezgam Express derailed near Lodhran, injuring several passengers.

The Shalimar Express collided with a stationary freight train near Rohri, killing a railway employee identified as Nadeem Shah.

In another incident, the Karakoram Express split into two parts near Khanewal due to a coupling failure but narrowly avoided a major disaster.

Similarly, the Green Line train, travelling from Karachi to Rawalpindi via Lahore, narrowly escaped a serious accident near Wazirabad after a buffer broke and track sleepers were damaged, forcing an emergency stop.

On April 6, a freight train derailed near Paddidan, suspending rail traffic on the main line, while another derailment of the Shalimar Express near Shahdadpur caused further disruption.

Railway sources said that despite strict instructions and warnings issued by Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi, the frequency of such incidents has not declined, raising questions over the effectiveness of safety and maintenance systems.