Following the horrific derailment of Hazara Express which claimed more than 30 lives and left over 50 injured, the down track of Pakistan Railways at Sirhari near Nawabshah which had been temporarily closed to facilitate rescue and recovery operations, has now been restored after an arduous 18-hour effort by dedicated railway personnel.
Local authorities, working tirelessly for a grueling 13 hours, managed to extricate 10 bogies of the ill-fated Hazara Express from the tracks, allowing the down track to be reopened for operations.
DS Railway Mohsin Sial confirmed the complete removal of debris and bogies from the down track.
He added that the meticulous operation involved the removal of nine bogies and various debris fragments from the accident site.
“We are now awaiting the clearance signal for the down track to dispatch trains and bring life back to normalcy,” stated Mohsin Sial.
The restored track has now facilitated the resumption of train services, with a number of trains embarking on their journeys to various destinations.
Amidst this tragedy, a glimmer of hope emerged as the Karachi-bound Green Line Express was dispatched on its route, symbolizing the resilient spirit of Pakistan Railways and its commitment to maintaining the flow of essential transportation services.
The Green Line Express, which had been momentarily halted at Nawabshah station due to the unfortunate Hazara Express mishap, is once again on its path to Karachi.
Additionally, the Hazara Express, originating from Havelian and en route to Karachi, has resumed its movement towards its final destination, reinstating a semblance of normalcy to the railway operations.
Railway officials said that the tragic incident occurred near Sarhari Railway Station, located between Shahzadpur and Nawabshah when the Hazara Express was en route from Karachi.
The derailment resulted in 10 bogies veering off the tracks, leading to chaos and injuries among the passengers on board.
The injured individuals were transferred to People’s Medical Hospital in Nawabshah, and there are concerns that more injuries may be reported.
Railway officials have stated that the cause of the derailment is still unknown.
However, passengers on the train said that there were too many people on board.
Federal Railways Minister Saad Rafique ordered the authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the Hazara Express incident.
He said emergency measures have been imposed in the hospitals.
The train was running at a normal speed, raising suspicions of sabotage or mechanical failure as potential causes of the accident, he said.
He added that printed material concerning the train incident has been provided to the journalists. As of now, at least 15 deaths were reported.
Sindh CM directs immediate medical aid
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed deep grief and sorrow over the train accident, stating that he is profoundly saddened by the loss of life in the incident.
He directed the Nawabshah DC to provide immediate medical aid to the injured passengers.
Medical emergency imposed
The district coordination officer of the railway announced that an emergency has been imposed near all hospitals, and rescue teams have been dispatched to the spot.
Rescue officials reported that over 20 people were killed and 50 people have been injured in the incident, and there are fears of an increasing death toll while evacuating the injured and retrieving the bodies of the deceased has proven to be challenging.
On the other hand, help desks have been established at Cantt and City stations, according to Karachi DCO Saba Jabeen.
She mentioned that families of the victim passengers have started arriving at Karachi Cantt Station, prompting the need to request passenger lists so that the final number of passengers departing from Karachi will be known.
Rangers and police deployed for rescue operation
Sanghar SSP Abid Baloch said that a contingent of Rangers, was dispatched on the orders of Sindh DG Rangers Major General Azhar Waqas.
Rangers sources confirmed that specially trained personnel have been sent to the accident site to ensure swift and effective rescue operations.
In conjunction with the Rangers teams, ambulances, medical aid, and food supplies have also been dispatched to offer essential support during this critical situation.
Pakistan Army also joined the relief activities at the site of the accident after special instructions issued by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir.
Additional troops were also called in from Hyderabad and Sakrand with army aviation helicopters.
Moreover, Army Aviation helicopters have also been sent for rescue.
stated that immediate rescue operations have been mobilized to assist the affected passengers.
According to the SSP, 10 Station House Officers (SHOs), four Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), and more than 100 police personnel have been deployed to the accident site to provide urgent aid.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan has also expressed regret over tragic incident, and expressed his heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the families of the deceased.
He also asked the administration to give medical facilities to admitted injured.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari took notice of the Hazara Express train and directed concerned authorities to investigate the train accident near Sarhari railway station.
He expressed condolences to the families of the passengers who died in the train accident.
PPP Bilawal asked PPP workers to participate in the relief activities.
The Sindh government also directed the immediate treatment and treatment of the passengers injured in the train accident.
Punjab governor Baligur Rehman, PPP leader Sharjeel Inam Memon, MQM-P Convener Khalid MAqbool Sidduqe and PPP senator Sherry Rehman expressed condolences with the victim families who lost their lives in the unfortunate accident.
Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) President Abdul Aleem Khan expressed condolences over the Hazara Express train accident in which over 20 passengers lost their lives.
The train was travelling from Karachi to Havelian, when it met an accident at Nawabshah.
He stressed for preventive measures to such accidents and urged action against those responsible after a full investigation of the accident.
IPP president prayed for forgiveness for the passengers who lost their lives and speedy recovery of the injured.
PMLN leader Maryam Nawaz Sharif tweeted that her heart is deeply saddened by the loss of precious human lives in the tragic accident that occurred to Hazara Express.
The United Kingdom (UK) High Commissioner to Pakistan reacting to the devastating news from Nawabshah in which dozens have been killed and several more injured following a train derailment said their thoughts are with those affected, including the families of those who have lost loved ones and with rescue workers on the scene.
Relief train sent from Kotri station
A relief train of Karachi division has been dispatched from Kotri Railway Station while Railway technical staff and workers have also been dispatched from Hyderabad.
Hyderabad Station Master Railway Abdullah Soomro said that a relief train passed from the station at 2:40 am and 77 passengers’ seats were reserved from Hyderabad station while 11UP Hazara Express consisted of 19 coaches.
Station Master Abdullah Soomro Hazara Express left the station at 11:40 am.
Sindh chief minister Murad Ali Shah reached PMC Hospital Nawabshah and inquired after the in injured.
Hyderabad Division General Officer Commanding (GOC) took aerial review of the accident site and later briefed the media persons.
Reason behind Hazara Express accident
The Hazar Express train accident probably occurred due to the opening of the nut bolts of the track.
The possible cause of the Hazara Express train accident has been revealed.
According to the pictures taken from the accident site, it is possible that the track nut bolts loose before the train overturned, which jammed the first bogie connected immediately after the engine of the train followed by other nine bogies derailment.
The broken track became the center of attention of the agencies which are investigating the accident.
According to the railway sources, there was no evidence of the small bridge (culvert) sitting on the track.
The relief train brought for relief work was parked on the culvert.
According to the preliminary investigation, no evidence of the train’s collision was found after the accident.
Private news channel reported that all the coaches derailed at the same place.
While the impression of over speed was also rejected because speed of train before the accident was 40-50 km per hour compared to the approved speed of 105 kilometers per hour.
