Dozens injured as passenger train derails in Pakistan

Three cars of a passenger train derailed near Lahore in eastern Pakistan on Friday night, injuring at least 27 people, including women and children, officials said.

The Islamabad Express was en route to Lahore when three of its cars went off the tracks in the town of Kala Shah Kaku, railways spokesperson Babar Raza told reporters.

He said emergency responders and paramedics were quickly dispatched to the site, and all the injured were listed in stable condition.

Raza did not provide further details but said an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident.

Train accidents are relatively common in Pakistan, where the railway system has suffered from decades of underinvestment, outdated tracks, and aging signal infrastructure. In 2023, at least 30 people were killed when a passenger train derailed in the southern city of Nawabshah in Sindh province.

Associated Press