Official says cars numbered 4, 5, 6 and 7 derailed when train was hijacked
LAHORE:
The Lahore-bound Shalimar Express derailed again on Friday, just two days after a similar incident near Shahdadpur, sparking fresh concerns over rail safety.
According to railway officials, a carriage of the train derailed between Farooqabad and Sheikhupura around 9:40 am. No immediate reports of casualties or injuries were received.
A relief train was sent from Lahore soon after the incident, and officials said the rescue and restoration operation was expected to be completed after noon. Railway authorities have launched efforts to clear the track and restore train operations in the affected section.
Four air-conditioned lounge cars of the Lahore-bound Shalimar Express derailed near Shahdadpur railway station on Wednesday, disrupting train movement on both the up and down tracks. However, no casualties were reported.
Railway officials said coaches numbered 4, 5, 6 and 7 left the track when the train was diverted to a loop line due to a faulty Awami Express on the main track of the station.
They added that the Shalimar Express was moving at a very slow speed while entering the loop line, which helped avoid a major accident and spare passengers from injuries.
Earlier, the Karachi-Islamabad Express Green Line was derailed near Wazirabad on March 27 while leaving the station. Initial findings suggest the derailment was caused by broken buffers of the coach.
This was the third train accident in the last ten days of the previous month, a development that some officials attribute to negligence by Pakistan Railways authorities.
On March 26, the Karakoram Express 41-Up from Karachi to Lahore met with an accident near Khanewal Junction when the train split into two sections. On March 24, the Tezgam Express also derailed near Lodhran. However, railway crews later restored the track and the train resumed its journey.
A joint investigation report subsequently identified that the derailment was due to a technical fault in one of the train’s bogies, which was deemed unfit.
