Rahimyar Khan: Rail operations across Pakistan’s Main Line 1 (ML 1) corridor suffered severe disruptions following two separate train derailments in Punjab, highlighting growing concerns over ageing infrastructure and operational safety. In the first incident near Feroza Railway Station in Rahim Yar Khan, a heavy freight train carrying 3,300 tonnes of coal bound for the Sahiwal Coal Power Plant suffered a major crash.
The locomotive capsised and 11 heavy duty wagons derailed after running into a sand hump on the loop line. Railway officials reported that the derailment, which occurred around midday, was likely triggered by an overshoot resulting from faulty brake systems or an unchanged track point. Whilst the crew remained unhurt, the impact mangled steel rails and scattered thousands of tonnes of coal across the ballast, forcing the temporary closure of the primary north bound up track.
Concurrently, a second derailment took place in Jhelum district when the Lahore bound Rawal Express passenger service derailed near Kala Gujran. The train's locomotive and passenger coaches came off the tracks near a railway crossing, causing rail traffic along the Rawalpindi Lahore section to be suspended for at least five hours. Passengers were stranded in severe heat, with many opting to leave the train to seek alternative road transport. No casualties or injuries were reported in the Jhelum crash, and authorities confirmed that main-line movement was later restored.
The freight crash in Rahimyar Khan marks the fourth derailment involving the Yousaf Wala coal supply line within a two month period, following previous accidents at Harappa, Wahab Shah, and Jang Shahi stations. Railway sources have pointed to severe track degradation, outlived infrastructure, and high axle loads on the ML 1 corridor as key factors threatening operational safety across the network. Relief operations and track restoration works are currently underway to clear the affected sections and fully restore train schedules.
