10 injured in train accident

FAISALABAD: A railway accident on Wednesday occurred near Faisalabad when the Karachi-to-Lahore Shalimar Express collided with a brick-loaded tractor trolley at an unmanned railway crossing near Chak Jhumra.

The crash caused 12 bogies to derail, resulting in injuries to more than 10 passengers and the train driver. According to railway officials, the collision occurred at a railway crossing where the tractor trolley, reportedly abandoned after running out of fuel, was left stationed on the railway track. The trolley driver allegedly fled the scene before the crash. Eyewitnesses said the trolley was stuck on the track.

Due to the impact of the derailment, the railway traffic came to a standstill, and several trains were rerouted. The Karakoram Express (up) was diverted through Sahiwal to Lahore, while the Rahman Baba Express and the Pakistan Express (up) were also rerouted. Additionally, Badr Express trains 111 and 112 were canceled for the day.

Four of the injured were shifted to hospital. They have been identified as Ismail, 20, from Multan; Ghulam Jilani, 33, from Abbaspur; Zulfiqar Ali, 58, from Abbaspur and Waheed Ahmad, 43, from Samundri.

Sources revealed that the railway crossing had been unmanned for over a year after the crossing guard left his job due to unpaid salaries. The open crossing and lack of proper safety measures contributed to the accident.

Pakistan Railways CEO Amir Ali Baloch visited the accident site and supervised the clearance operation. Railway authorities confirmed that the track restoration was underway and expected to be completed within four to five hours.