-Premier orders detailed inquiry into Ghotki train accident
-Army relief efforts were underway
-PR Chief Executive Officer says inquiry will determine cause of incident
DM Monitoring
GHOTKI: At least 51 people were killed and nearly 70 were injured on Monday after two passenger trains collided near Daharki, a city located in the Ghotki district of upper Sindh, according to officials.
According to a spokesperson for Pakistan Railways, the accident took place at around 03:30am after a Millat Express train, headed from Karachi to Sargodha, derailed and fell across the “down track”. Due to this, it collided with a Sir Syed Express train coming from Rawalpindi, he said, adding that the incident took place near the Raiti railway station.
“The Millat Express train left Daharki station at 03:28am. Information was received at 03:43am that the train had derailed at 03:38am. Meanwhile, the Sir Syed Express train passed through Raiti at 03:38am. As the coaches of the derailed train were infringing the down track, the driver tried to apply emergency brakes but the locomotive hit the infringing coaches at 03:38am,” a PR statement said.
As a result of this accident, six coaches of Millat Express were derailed and five coaches overturned, while two coaches of the Sir Syed Express train were derailed and three overturned, it added, stating that 51 people had been killed while more than 65 had been injured.
The PR spokesperson said a relief train had been dispatched from Rohri while officials, along with police and the local administration, were carrying out rescue efforts. He said that helpline centres have been set up for passengers in Karachi, Sukkur, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi. He further said that some of the passengers from the Sir Syed Express train have been taken to the Sadiqabad railway station. “Railway traffic would be restored when tracks are cleared,” he added.
Ghotki SSP Umar Tufail confirmed that 40 people had died in the incident. “Thirty eight bodies have been shifted to hospitals and two bodies are being retrieved,” he said. He said that a list is being compiled of the deceased, adding that 25 injured were in critical condition.
In a statement, the Pakistan Railways Directorate said 32 people had died and more than 80 were injured, that a relief train from Sukkur had reached the site. “Pakistan Army troops, police, the district administration and rescue workers took part in the rescue operation,” the statement said. The process of shifting the injured and the deceased to hospitals has been completed, it said, adding that giving medical attention to the injured was of the utmost priority.
Restoring railway traffic is also a priority, it said, adding that officials had reached the scene to investigate the incident. Federal Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati will personally oversee the completion of an initial inquiry, it said. Earlier in the day, the minister had visited the site of the incident.
According to reports, the incident has paralysed railway traffic across the country. An information desk has been set up at the Hyderabad railway station for passengers. Railway traffic remains suspended till 2pm on both up and down country tracks. Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was “shocked by the horrific train accident”.
“Have asked the railways minister to reach the site and ensure medical assistance to injured and support for families of the dead. Ordering comprehensive investigation into railway safety faultlines,” he said. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Monday said Prime Minister Imran Khan had ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the Ghotki train accident.
Right now nothing could be said with authenticity whether it was an accident, human error, act of terrorism or technical glitch, he said in a tweet. The minister was of the view that the grief of the bereaved families could not be mitigated with mere consolation, and stressed the need for a thorough investigation into the accident.
In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that relief and rescue efforts were under way at the site of the collision. Pakistan Army and Rangers troops have reached the site and are carrying out relief and rescue operation, the military’s media affairs wing said. Military doctors and paramedics, along with ambulances moved from Pannu Aqil, have also reached incident site, it added.
“Engineer resources moved to carry out necessary relief and rescue work. Army special Engineer Team Urban Search and Rescue being heli-lifted from Rawalpindi to incident site to speed up relief and rescue efforts,” the ISPR said. Two helicopters are being flown from Multan to evacuate casualties and speedy relief measures, the statement said. “Relief goods [are] being prepared and will be dispatched shortly,” the ISPR said.
Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has taken notice of the incident and expressed grief over the lives lost. Speaking to the Sukkur Commissioner over the phone, he directed him to mobilise the district administration. “Machinery should be arranged to rescue passengers that are still stuck,” he said.
Arrangements should also be made at nearby hospitals to treat those that have been injured, he said. He also directed the official to arrange temporary accommodation and food for the passengers. “An information system should be set up so that citizens can get accurate information,” he said.
PR Chief Executive Officer Nisar Memon said an inquiry into tragedy would determine the cause of the incident. He conceded that the railway tracks in Sukkur division were weak, adding that PR had applied speed restrictions in such spots to ensure passenger safety. “But this patch of the track is not weak and safety is never compromised,” he told media. He said that when restrictions are applied, the train driver maintains the speed at 40km/h, 60km/h and 80km/h.
He hoped that one of the tracks would be opened for traffic by 6pm as rescue and relief work was underway.
