ISLAMABAD — Tragedy struck Pakistan’s railway network early Tuesday morning as a major passenger train derailed in the eastern Punjab province, leaving at least five people dead and around 30 others injured.

According to police and local rescue authorities, the accident occurred at approximately 5:15 a.m. near the Sher Shah Bridge in the Multan district. The ill-fated train, the Rehman Baba Express, was journeying from the southern port city of Karachi to the northwestern city of Peshawar when multiple carriages suddenly slipped off the tracks.

Emergency response teams rushed to the site following the distress calls. Injured passengers were rapidly extricated from the wreckage and transferred to Nishtar Hospital in Multan for urgent medical treatment. Rescue officials confirmed that out of the derailed coaches, the majority have been cleared as search and clearance operations continue in the remaining compartments.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief and concern over the loss of lives and injuries resulting from the accident. He issued strict directives to local administrations and railway authorities to accelerate rescue work and ensure that all injured passengers receive the best possible medical care without delay.

Railway traffic along the affected route has been suspended indefinitely, causing significant disruptions. Authorities have arranged alternative transport to ferry stranded passengers safely toward Peshawar.

While an official inquiry has been launched to determine the exact cause of the derailment, initial reports and preliminary passenger accounts have highlighted potential infrastructure concerns. The incident has once again sparked widespread public anxiety over the safety, decaying infrastructure, and maintenance issues plaguing Pakistan’s state-run railway network.