PASSENGER TRAIN DERAILS IN PAKISTAN LEAVING AT LEAST SIX DEAD AND 30 INJURED NEAR MULTAN

A severe railway accident occurred early Tuesday morning, October 13, 2026, near the Sher Shah Bridge, southwest of Multan, Pakistan, when the Rehman Baba Express derailed, resulting in at least six fatalities and leaving 30 passengers injured, according to reports from local authorities and rescue services.

The passenger train was traveling along its designated route from Karachi to Peshawar when the incident took place at approximately 5:15 a.m. During the event, all 14 coaches of the train came off the tracks, prompting an immediate response from emergency personnel and local railway officials to assist the trapped passengers.

Rescue workers arrived at the location shortly after the derailment to clear the wreckage and evacuate individuals stranded inside the damaged cars. Officials confirmed that emergency responders successfully cleared 13 of the train coaches during the initial hours of the operation, while targeted efforts continued in the remaining coach. All injured passengers were transferred to Nishtar Hospital in Multan to receive urgent medical treatment, with medical staff monitoring several individuals reported to be in delicate condition.

Following the report of the tragedy, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the situation and issued direct instructions to the corresponding government agencies to accelerate ongoing rescue operations. The Prime Minister emphasized the necessity of ensuring that all injured individuals receive immediate and appropriate medical attention at healthcare facilities.

"Authorities and rescue teams were instructed to deploy all necessary resources to support affected passengers and expedite clearance work at the derailment site."

While official investigations into the root cause of the incident remain ongoing, an account provided by a passenger indicated that maintenance personnel had performed repairs on the nuts and bolts of coach number nine near Rohri prior to the accident. However, official authorities have not independently verified this statement or established any formal connection between the reported maintenance work and the subsequent derailment.

The exact circumstances surrounding the derailment remain undetermined, and local transportation officials are expected to conduct a comprehensive technical review. The incident has renewed public attention regarding structural maintenance and safety standards across the national railway network, where previous derailments have led to significant casualties.