The technical arm of Pakistan Railways has declared fitness certificate mandatory for trains before departure and imposed a strict ban on the use of trains. "dummy trainers" to ensure the safety of passengers and prevent accidents. According to the directive, the authorities will no longer authorize the attachment of coach trains whose braking system is not 100% functional. A formal order was issued to enforce the decision and insist on strict compliance. Under the new rules, no passenger train will operate without a valid certificate of fitness confirming that all systems, particularly braking, are fully functional. The authorities have issued clear instructions that trains must not run if these conditions are not met. The official letter further states that no dummy wagon or any wagon with defective braking can be included in a train passing through or departing from Rawalpindi division. Divisional Mechanical Engineers (DMEs) have been tasked with inspecting each coach and wagon, to ensure that the braking performance meets the 100% standard. Any coach, locomotive or wagon not meeting this requirement must be immediately detached from the train. A certificate of fitness will only be issued after complete verification of the performance of the braking system. The directive warns that any violation of these instructions will be considered a serious threat to passenger safety and will result in strict disciplinary action. Authorities issued the instruction after three trains derailed in a week, raising questions about safety protocols. On Friday, the Karachi-Islamabad Express Green Line derailed near Wazirabad while exiting the station. Initial findings suggest the derailment was caused by broken buffers of the coach. A day earlier, the Karakoram Express 41-Up from Karachi to Lahore met with an accident near Khanewal Junction when the train split into two sections. As the train entered the loop line at Khanewal Junction, the coupler connecting its coaches suddenly broke, separating the moving train into two sections.
Derailment: PR takes preventive measures
