Several coaches of the Peshawar-bound Rehman Baba Express left the tracks near Sher Shah Railway Station in Multan district early on Tuesday. Pakistan Railways has put the toll at at least five dead and more than 30 injured. ARY's report from the site said at least four people, including a girl, were killed and more than 40 were injured, and put the time at about 6am. Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi told Dawn he was confirming four deaths because Multan's divisional superintendent had reported four, and that he could not confirm five. The train had received mechanical attention at Samasatta Railway Junction before the crash, Abbasi said at the site. Railway officials said it was too early to name the cause.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an investigation and told the authorities to speed up rescue and relief so the injured receive immediate medical care. Abbasi said those found responsible would be held accountable. Compensation for the dead and the injured, he said, would follow Pakistan Railways' insurance policy. He gave no amount.
What Hanif Abbasi said at the site
Speaking at the wreckage, Abbasi said the train had been "mechanically addressed" at Samasatta and asked how it could derail after that check. He accepted responsibility as railways minister. Safe travel, he said, was his duty, and no one could be absolved of responsibility for what happened.
He also spoke about the wider railway. Longstanding concerns over the tracks and the rolling stock — the locomotives and coaches — remained, he said, while work to improve the infrastructure was underway. He disclosed that more than half of the department's freight trains had been operating without brakes, and that 31 December 2026 was the deadline set for those freight-train problems.
Abbasi noted that train accidents had also occurred in the United Kingdom and in European countries. He said this incident would still be investigated and that those responsible would not be spared.
What is known about the cause
The cause of the Rehman Baba Express accident is not settled. Railway officials said it was too early to determine it. Railway sources said a technical fault had reportedly been detected in coach No. 9 before the crash, and that the train was stopped near Rohri so the coach could be inspected. A passenger said the nuts and bolts of coach No. 9 were tightened during that stop. Those accounts are not an official finding.
The coaches were reported to have left the tracks with a loud bang. A high-level inquiry committee of technical officers and officials nominated by Pakistan Railways headquarters in Lahore has arrived to collect evidence. Abbasi said the investigation would be thorough and that anyone found responsible would face action.
The toll is not the same in every account. Pakistan Railways told Dawn, and Multan Division spokesman Kaleem Akhtar told The Express Tribune, that at least five people were killed and more than 30 injured. Rescue 1122 had reported four dead and 49 injured. ARY's report from the site said at least four dead, including a girl, and more than 40 injured. Abbasi told Dawn he could not confirm a fifth death.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Tuesday, before the derailment: The train received mechanical attention at Samasatta Railway Junction, Hanif Abbasi said.
- Tuesday, during the journey: Railway sources said the train stopped near Rohri after a reported fault in coach No. 9. A passenger said nuts and bolts on that coach were tightened.
- Tuesday, about 6am: Several coaches of the Peshawar-bound train derailed near Sher Shah Railway Station in Multan district.
- Tuesday, after the crash: Abbasi spoke at the site. Shehbaz Sharif ordered an inquiry and faster rescue and treatment. An inquiry team from Lahore reached the site.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Rehman Baba Express Multan ke qareeb Sher Shah station par patri se utar gayi. Pakistan Railways ke mutabiq kam az kam paanch log janbahaq hue aur 30 se zyada zakhmi hue. ARY ne maqami riwayat char halaqein, jin mein ek larki bhi thi, aur 40 se zyada zakhmi bataye. Minister Hanif Abbasi ne Dawn ko bataya ke woh char halaqein confirm kar rahe hain kyunke Multan ke divisional superintendent ne char report kiye, aur paanch confirm nahi kar sakte. Train Samasatta par check ho chuki thi. Asal wajah abhi tay nahi hui.
