It is expected that the number of casualties will continue to increase because there are many victims, including those with serious injuries, who are being treated at local hospitals.
The governor of Sindh province, Syed Murad Ali Shah, said that the nine carriages of the crashed train have been cleared. A rescue operation is urgently underway on the remaining carriages of the ship to search for passengers.
Rescue teams, the Pakistani army and Pakistan Railways staff rushed to the scene to launch relief operations immediately after the train crashed. Local volunteers also helped rescue stranded passengers. The seriously injured passengers were transported to the southern port city of Karachi to ensure optimal treatment.
Pakistani officials said that the 17-car Hazara express train, with a capacity of more than 1.000 passengers, deviated from the road when crossing a bridge from Karachi to Havelian. The accident halted rail operations within the province and connecting Sindh province with the outside. Repairs can take up to 18 hours.
Speaking to the media, Pakistan Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said authorities were investigating the incident and the possibility of "sabotage" could be ruled out.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif expressed his deep condolences over the incident and directed the authorities to provide the best medical treatment to those injured in the accident.
Pakistan's railway system has nearly 7.500km of tracks and carries more than 80 million passengers annually. According to local media, accidents and derailments often occur on Pakistan's outdated railway system. For many generations, the government of this country has tried to raise funds to upgrade the railway network, but it has not brought the expected results.
In 2021, a tragic train accident happened in Sindh, killing 56 people and injuring more than 100.
The tragic rail accident on August 6 occurred just a day after the Allama Iqbal Express high-speed train line derailed near Padidan train station. The incident did not cause any casualties, but it did lead to a halt to traffic on the affected railway line, according to local officials.
