At least 36 killed in Pakistan train crash

At least 36 people were killed in a train crash near Ghotki early Monday, rescue officials said.

Four carriages of the Sargodha-bound Millat Express derailed near the Reti railway station early Monday, according to Pakistan Railways officials.

The train was hit by Sir Syed Express that was en route to Karachi from Rawalpindi. Most of the passengers were asleep at the time of the collision, eyewitnesses said.

It took railway authorities and rescue teams more than one and a half hours to reach the site.

People were rescuing passengers trapped inside the trains on their own.

Both tracks have been closed after the accidents.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was shocked by the horrific train accident in Ghotki. He said he had asked Railway Minister Azam Swati to reach the site and ensure medical assistance to the injured and support for the families of the deceased.

“Ordering comprehensive investigation into railway safety fault lines,” PM Khan said on Twitter.

Rail accidents are common in Pakistan, which inherited thousands of kilometres (miles) of track and trains from former colonial power Britain.

But the network has seen decades of decline due to corruption, mismanagement and lack of investment.

At least 75 people died when a train caught fire while travelling from Karachi to Rawalpindi in October 2019.

Two trains carrying hundreds of passengers collided in Karachi in 2016 killing 21 people.

Follow SAMAA English on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.