Pakistan: 29 injured as Islamabad Express derails near Kala Shah Kaku

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 2 : At least 29 passengers were injured after Islamabad Express derailed near Kala Shah Kaku in Punjab's Sheikhupura district on Friday, prompting a large-scale rescue operation, Dawn reported.

According to Punjab Rescue 1122, five bogies of the passenger train derailed near a chemical plant in the Kala Shah Kaku area, with the control room receiving distress calls at around 7:32 pm. The emergency team launched immediate relief efforts at the site.

"Six emergency vehicles and 25 rescuers were immediately dispatched to start the rescue operation. Most of the passengers suffered scratches, bruises and skin injuries," Dawn quoted Punjab Rescue Spokesperson Farooq Ahmed as saying.

The rescue service stated that 22 individuals were given first aid on the spot, while seven were shifted to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Muridke for further treatment. "Two people were trapped in the bogies, but they have been rescued and moved to the hospital," the statement read. "One of them sustained hip injuries."

"The initial rescue operation has been completed and there is no information about anyone being killed in the accident yet," Dawn reported, citing a statement from the rescue team.

The derailment came just days after another railway incident. On July 28, three coaches of the Jaffar Express derailed near Shikarpur in Sindh province following a reported explosion on the railway tracks. One passenger was injured in the incident.

Sukkur Railways Divisional Superintendent Jamshaid Alam told Dawn that the Jaffar Express was en route from Peshawar to Quetta when it was caught in the explosion near Sultanpur. "Following the blast, train operations have been suspended," Alam said, adding that passengers "faced serious difficulties due to the train's derailment."

On July 29, the Ministry of Railways clarified that the derailment of the Jaffar Express was due to a technical fault and not an explosion, noting that local residents mistook the sound of the derailment for a blast.

As reported by Dawn, the ministry added, "An unfamiliar terrorist outfit took advantage of the incident and falsely labelled it as an armed attack and claimed responsibility. This claim is not only baseless, but also tantamount to an example of opportunism and irrelevance."

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