New Islamabad Express Derails Hours After LaunchNew Islamabad Express Derails Hours After Launch
The Islamabad Express, launched only two hours earlier, derailed near Sohawa on Friday evening after a technical fault, injuring several passengers, though no fatalities were reported.
The train had been inaugurated by Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi at 5:30 PM, but around 7:30 PM, it came off the tracks near the hilly section of Sohawa with a loud crash. The derailment left several coaches badly damaged, and rail traffic remained suspended on both up and down tracks for about three hours.
According to passengers Arshad Ali and Rustam, the train slowed as it entered the hilly area, and “strange sounds were coming from underneath” moments before it derailed. “It felt like an earthquake,” they said, adding that while several passengers were injured, everyone survived.
Railway unions blamed the accident on the use of refurbished, discarded coaches, claiming they were repainted and presented as new. They also said safety equipment was missing and that repeated requests for essential passenger safety materials were ignored.
The Divisional Superintendent of Railways, Rawalpindi, said that upon receiving reports of the incident, engineers and technical staff were immediately sent to the site. Rescue teams from Jhelum and Sohawa joined efforts to clear the track, restoring traffic after three hours.
Senior railway officials, including the Chief Mechanical Engineer and Chief Engineer, reached the site on Friday night to begin an internal inquiry. A preliminary report is expected within the next few days.
Railway sources said the track near Sohawa had long-standing alignment issues that had already been reported to higher authorities. The initial cause of the derailment is believed to be a misaligned junction point, which caused one of the wheels to slip off the track.
The post New Islamabad Express Derails Hours After Launch appeared first on ProPakistani.
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The Islamabad Express, launched only two hours earlier, derailed near Sohawa on Friday evening after a technical fault, injuring several… Read More
The post New Islamabad Express Derails Hours After Launch appeared first on ProPakistani.