At least six people were killed and more than 150 injured as a passenger train collided with a goods train on late Wednesday night at Buch Railway Station near Multan, rescue officials said.
The Awami Express, heading to Karachi from Peshawar, struck a goods train which was standing on the tracks. Rescue officials said that around 50 injured were shifted to Nishtar Hospital, Multan, while more than 50 were provided first aid on the spot.
Dr. Kaleem, a Rescue Emergency Officer said that the rescue operations had been completed. He added that 40 ambulances, along with 200 rescuers from Lodhran, Muzafar Garh and Multan participated in the operations.
Personnel of the Pakistan Army also participated in the rescue operations.
Saima Khizar, Director Vigilance of Pakistan Railways, Multan Division, said that the affected people were being shifted to Multan through private transport, from where they would be transported to Karachi.
She further said that efforts were being made to clear the railway track. She added that it would take up to 18 hours to make the track functional.
Railway official Saima blamed the accident on the passenger train driver, saying he failed to heed a red signal that went up after the goods train had stopped.
Last November, 19 people were killed in Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan province after a train’s brakes failed and it sped down the side of a mountain.
In July 2015, at least 17 people were killed when a special military train fell into a canal after a bridge partially collapsed. (AFP)
