At least five people were killed and 30 others sustained injuries when a passenger train derailed in Pakistan’s Punjab province on Tuesday morning, local police confirmed. The tragic incident sent shockwaves through the region as emergency services rushed to the site to manage the unfolding crisis.

According to police reports, the accident occurred at approximately 5:15 AM while the train was en route from Karachi to Peshawar. The ‘Rehman Baba Express’ derailed near the Sher Shah Bridge in Multan. Citing police and rescue workers, local media network ‘Geo News’ reported that the injured passengers were immediately rushed to Multan’s Nishtar Hospital for urgent medical treatment, while extensive rescue operations continued at the crash site.

Rescue officials stated that 13 coaches of the train have been successfully evacuated, while operations are still ongoing in one remaining carriage to ensure all passengers are accounted for. Meanwhile, a passenger told reporters that prior to the accident, railway staff had carried out maintenance work on the nut-bolts of coach number nine near Rohri. According to ‘Geo News’, this claim has not been independently verified, and it remains unclear whether the maintenance work had any direct correlation with the derailment.

Expressing profound grief over the tragedy, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed relevant authorities to accelerate rescue and relief efforts. He also ordered officials to ensure that all injured victims receive prompt and optimal medical care without any administrative delay.