MULTAN: At least six people were killed and over 150 injured after Karachi-bound Awam Express collided with a freight train near Multan early on Thursday, officials and railways sources said.

The incident took place near Bucch railway station in Sher Shah area, some 25 kilometers from here.

The accident occurred when a man was reportedly overrun by a freight train and the freight train driver stopped the train to take out the body, said DCO Nadir Chattha. 15 minutes later Awam Express heading on the same line collided with the stationary goods train.

The driver of Awam Express has been declared responsible for the accident, which left at least six people dead and wounded over 150, out of which 10 were said to be in precarious condition. Three people trapped inside damaged carriages were also saved, said rescue workers.

250 rescue workers provided medical aid to 50 injured passengers on the spot before transferring them to the hospital. All the injured have been taken out of the train. The rescue work lasted four hours.

The collision wrecked the engine and power van, and overturned four bogies of Awam Express.

CEO Railways Javaid Anwar told Geo News the accident was a result of the Awam Express driver's negligence as he ignored the signal and did not stop the train in time. The CEO added that an initial report on the accident has been sent to the government.

The train's driver and foreman jumped out of the train and escaped, initial investigation revealed.

All the injured and dead were taken to Nishtar Hospital in Multan, he said. He also announced that one lakh rupees will be given to each injured.

A delay was initially observed in response by rescue services due to Eid holidays, according to sources. Relief works were also affected as darkness prevailed in the vicinity.

The passenger train was en route to Karachi from Peshawar.

Meanwhile, authorities imposed emergency at Multan's Nishtar Medical Hospital and Shahbaz Sharif Hospital. Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr. Ashiq appealed to citizens to donate blood for the wounded.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif offered condolences to the victims of the accident and instructed that the injured be provided the best treatment available. He also offered prayer of forgiveness for the dead.</s>An explosion on a ferry carrying 35 tourists between the Indonesian resort islands of Bali and Lombok on Thursday killed two people, an Indonesian and a Dutch national, and injured 13, police said.

“Two of them died, 13 were injured,” Bali police spokesman Made Sudana said, adding the explosion happened off the coast of Lombok.

“It seems there was some sort of explosion on the boat, so there was an emergency with the engine.”

Tourists on board included Australian, Korean, British, French, and German citizens, according to media.

A Karachi-bound express train collided with a freight train in Pakistan’s central Punjab region early on Thursday, killing at least six people and injuring more than 150, Geo TV said.

The Awam Express hit a stationary cargo train about 25 km (15 miles) from the city of Multan, Geo TV said, citing local officials. Four carriages were overturned.

There was a delay in the emergency response due to Eid holidays in Pakistan, a mainly Muslim nation of 190 million people.

Pakistan’s colonial era railway network has fallen into disrepair in recent decades due to chronic under investment and poor maintenance.

About 130 people were killed in July 2005 when a train rammed into another at a station in Sindh province, and a third train hit the wreckage.</s>A Karachi-bound express train collided with a freight train in Pakistan’s central Punjab region early on Thursday, killing at least six people and injuring more than 150, Geo TV said.

 The Awam Express hit a stationary cargo train about 25 km (15 miles) from the city of Multan, Geo TV said, citing local officials. Four carriages were overturned.

 There was a delay in the emergency response due to Eid holidays in Pakistan, a mainly Muslim nation of 190 million people.

 About 10 people were badly injured.

 Pakistan’s colonial era railway network has fallen into disrepair in recent decades due to chronic under investment and poor maintenance.

 About 130 people were killed in July 2005 when a train rammed into another at a station in Sindh province, and a third train hit the wreckage.

 (Updated)</s>MULTAN: Six passengers were killed and more than 150 sustained injuries after Karachi-bound Awam Express collided with a goods train in Multan early Thursday morning.

The Karachi-bound goods train had stopped near Buch railway station after it accidentally hit a man, railways Multan spokesman Rao Tasleem told APP.

In the mean time, 14-Down Awam express, that had left Multan fifteen minutes after the goods train, hit the stationary goods train, he added.

He said that four coaches of Awam Express were derailed.

He said that four passengers were killed and 15-16 were injured. However, Rescue 1122 spokesman Abdul Jabbar said that over 40 injured passengers were shifted to Nishtar hospital while another 51 provided first aid on the spot. Railways spokesman said that work was in progress to clear the track adding that Awam express was being brought back to Multan railway station.

He said that vehicles have been arranged for transportation of rest of the passengers to their respective destinations by road.

Rescue 1122 official said that incident occurred around 3:40 to 3:50 am today near Buch railway station.

Around 250 rescuers and 25 ambulances from Multan, Khanewal, Muzaffargarh and Lodhran were participating in the rescue operation, he said.

Rescuers have so far shifted 44 injured persons to Nishtar hospital. Rescuers were now busy in search operation to look if any one else was stuck inside the train.

Meanwhile, MS Nishtar hospital Dr. Ashiq Malik appealed the people to donate blood to save lives of the injured persons.

Emergency has been declared at Nishtar and Shahbaz Sharif hospital where doctors and paramedical staff were busy in providing treatment to the injured.

Those who died included Nasir (23) s/o Allah Daad r/o Rahimyar Khan, Sardar s/o Ilyas r/o Rahimyar Khan and an unknown person of the age of 55 years, Abdul Jabbar said.

Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique has directed the authorities concerned to probe into train accident within 72 hours.

While expressing grief and sorrow over the train accident, he said the main line will soon be restored and those injured will be sent to their destination points after recovery, Radio Pakistan reported.

CEO Pakistan Railways Javed Anwar said that the heirs of those killed and the injured will be given compensation.

An inquiry committee headed by Additional General Manager (AGM) traffic was constituted, to probe into accident, occurred between Awam Express and goods train, near Multan Railways station on Thursday early morning.

According to DCO Tahir Marwat, the responsibility cannot be fixed at the moment as it is too early.

He said that the reason behind the accident would be fixed by an inquiry team headed by AGM traffic Railways, which will be held in Lahore.

He said that railways would give compensation allowance to the dead and injured people, after recommendation of a board, constituted by a doctors team of the Railways department. He said that a counter was set up for giving out any further information and all medical facilities being provided to the injured. —APP</s>Pakistan train crash kills at least six, injures more than 150 - Geo TV

ISLAMABAD, Sept 15 (Reuters) - A Karachi-bound express train collided with a freight train in Pakistan's central Punjab region early on Thursday, killing at least six people and injuring more than 150, Geo TV said.

The Awam Express hit a stationary cargo train about 25 km (15 miles) from the city of Multan, Geo TV said, citing local officials. Four carriages were overturned.

There was a delay in the emergency response due to Eid holidays in Pakistan, a mainly Muslim nation of 190 million people.

Pakistan's colonial era railway network has fallen into disrepair in recent decades due to chronic under investment and poor maintenance.

About 130 people were killed in July 2005 when a train rammed into another at a station in Sindh province, and a third train hit the wreckage. (Writing by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Nick Macfie)</s>MULTAN: Four passengers were killed and more than 150 sustained injuries after Karachi-bound Awam Express collided with a goods train in Multan early Thursday morning.

The Karachi-bound goods train had stopped near Buch railway station after it accidentally hit a man, railways Multan spokesman Rao Tasleem told APP.

In the mean time, 14-Down Awam express, that had left Multan fifteen minutes after the goods train, hit the stationary goods train, he added.

He said that four coaches of Awam Express were derailed.

He said that four passengers were killed and 15-16 were injured. However, Rescue 1122 spokesman Abdul Jabbar said that over 40 injured passengers were shifted to Nishtar hospital while another 51 provided first aid on the spot.

Railways spokesman said that work was in progress to clear the track adding that Awam express was being brought back to Multan railway station.

He said that vehicles have been arranged for transportation of rest of the passengers to their respective destinations by road.

Rescue 1122 official said that incident occurred around 3:40 to 3:50 am today near Buch railway station.

Around 250 rescuers and 25 ambulances from Multan, Khanewal, Muzaffargarh and Lodhran were participating in the rescue operation, he said.

Rescuers have so far shifted 44 injured persons to Nishtar hospital. Rescuers were now busy in search operation to look if any one else was stuck inside the train.

Meanwhile, MS Nishtar hospital Dr. Ashiq Malik appealed the people to donate blood to save lives of the injured persons.

Emergency has been declared at Nishtar and Shahbaz Sharif hospital where doctors and paramedical staff were busy in providing treatment to the injured.

Those who died included Nasir (23) s/o Allah Daad r/o Rahimyar Khan, Sardar s/o Ilyas r/o Rahimyar Khan and an unknown person of the age of 55 years, Abdul Jabbar said.</s>At least six passengers have been killed in a train accident near the Pakistani city of Multan, officials said early Thursday.

Rescue official Kalim Ullah said more than 100 passengers were also hurt in the predawn crash Thursday when a Karachi-bound train collided with a freight train at Sher Shah, a town near Multan.

Railway official Saima Bashir confirmed the accident, which she said may have been caused by suspected negligence on the part of passenger train engineer. She said the freight train had stopped so the driver could remove the body of a man who had been crushed to death while crossing the railway track.

She said the passenger train hit the freight train from behind. The injured passengers have been taken to local hospitals.

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The complicated immigration history of Melania Trump: Tourist visas, then work visas</s>MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) — At least six passengers were killed and more than 100 others were hurt Thursday when a passenger train collided with a freight train near the central Pakistan city of Multan, rescuers and a railway officials said.

The pre-dawn accident happened near the town of Sher Khan in Punjab province 15 minutes after the freight train stopped after hitting a man on the track, railway official Saima Bashir said.

Bashir said the freight train had stopped so its driver could remove the body of the man who had been crushed to death while crossing the railway track, The freight train was then hit from behind by the passenger train.

"The driver of the passenger train did not see the red signal which went up after the man was crushed to death by the freight train," she said.

Bashir said authorities have ordered a probe to determine the exact cause of accident, but initial investigations suggest the driver of passenger train was at fault for the crash.

Rescue official Kalim Ullah said six bodies and more than 100 injured passengers were taken to hospitals, and that some of the injured passengers were listed in a critical condition.

TV footage showed derailed cars and wreckage of the train as ambulances rushed away.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in a statement expressed sympathies for the families of the dead and injured.

Train accidents are common in Pakistan, where tracks and bridges are often poorly maintained.</s>The Awam Express hit a stationary cargo train about 25 km (15 miles) from the city of Multan, Geo TV said, citing local officials. Four carriages were overturned.

There was a delay in the emergency response due to Eid holidays in Pakistan, a mainly Muslim nation of 190 million people.

Pakistan's colonial era railway network has fallen into disrepair in recent decades due to chronic under investment and poor maintenance.

About 130 people were killed in July 2005 when a train rammed into another at a station in Sindh province, and a third train hit the wreckage.</s>MULTAN, Pakistan: At least four people were killed and more than 100 injured when two trains collided in central Pakistan early on Thursday, officials said.

The accident occurred near the city of Multan around 2:30 a.m. when the Karachi-bound “Awami Express” passenger train rammed into a goods train that had stopped after running over a man crossing the railway track.

“At least four people have been killed and scores others wounded,” local district administration official Nadir Chattha told reporters.

TV footage showed rescue officials working around crumpled and overturned bogies in the darkness. Chatta said several trapped passengers had to be extracted from their carriages.

A three-day public holiday for the festival of Eid ul-Adha ended on Wednesday, with many returning from their family homes to the cities where they work.

Railway official Saima Bashir blamed the accident on the passenger train driver, saying he failed to heed a red signal that went up after the goods train had stopped.

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

The railways have seen decades of decline due to corruption, mismanagement and lack of investment.

Last November, 19 people were killed in Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan province after a train’s brakes failed and it sped down the side of a mountain.

In July 2015, at least 17 people were killed when a special military train fell into a canal after a bridge partially collapsed.
The Awam Express train collides with a freight train near the Pakistani city of Multan killing at least six people and injuring another 150.