At least 19 Sikh pilgrims were killed on Friday when their van was hit by a train in Sheikhupura district, Geo News reported.
According to the District Police Officer Sheikhupura Ghazi Salahuddin, 15 pilgrims lost their lives as the Lahore-bound train from Karachi met with an accident near Farooqabad railway station.
The accident took place at a train crossing without a barrier. All the wounded have been shifted to a nearby hospital, added officials.
It was reported that all the bodies have been shifted to the hospital and rescue operation has been completed. The wounded were given first aid by locals at the time of the accident.At least 19 people have been killed in a crash between a coaster and the Shah Hussain Express train near Sheikhupura, a statement by the Railways Ministry said.
At least eight people have been injured in the accident, all of whom are being shifted to District Headquarters Hospital, Sheikhupura, according to Rescue 1122 officials. The bodies are also being shifted to the DHQ hospital.
Rescue officials from both Railways and Rescue 1122 have arrived at the scene of the accident and are providing first aid to the injured, the statement added. All divisional officials have been directed to arrive at the crash site.
Sheikhupura DPO Mohammad Ghazi Salahuddin also confirmed the death toll.
The accident occurred around 1.30pm at a crossing near Sheikhupura that was reportedly unmanned. Following the accident, the divisional engineer was suspended by the ministry, the statement said.
According to media reports, most of the passengers in the coaster were Sikh Yatrees who were returning from Nankana Sahib.
Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid has ordered authorities to take immediate action against those responsible for the accident.
Prime Minister Imran Khan regretted the train accident, according to a tweet by the ruling PTI. He expressed grief at the loss of lives and directed authorities to provide the best medical aid to the injured.The incident comes four months after a bus crossing an unmanned railway crossing near Rohri in Sindh was crushed by the Lahore-bound Pakistan Express train coming from Karachi, killing at least 19 people and leaving more than 30 injured.
Last year had proven to be one of the worst years for Pakistan Railways and its huge number of passengers as a number of accidents, including the horrible Tezgam fire tragedy in October, exposed wrong decision-making and incompetence allegedly on the part of the management while dealing with the department’s operations.
“Over 100 train-related incidents, including some fatal accidents, took place in 2019. Besides this, 111 incidents of engine failure on the way were reported within first five months of the year alone,” an official source had earlier told Dawn.
