Three carriages of the Sir Syed Express derailed near Rohri railway station on Friday, causing suspension of train services on the uptrack. No casualties were reported. The train, which was travelling from Karachi to Rawalpindi, derailed 1.5 kilometres before reaching Rohri station in Sukkur, according to railway officials.
Sources state that the train was entering the platform at a reduced speed, which likely prevented a more severe incident. Rescue operations to clear the uptrack and restore normal train services are currently underway.The affected track remains blocked, and the cause of the derailment has not yet been confirmed. The Sir Syed Express had resumed operations just recently on 1st September, following a two-year suspension due to flooding.
Authorities are investigating the incident, while efforts to repair the track and resume services are in progress. A few days ago, Pakistan Railways (PR) authorities resumed operations of Sir Syed Express, discontinued two years ago, between Rawalpindi and Karachi. The train, designated as 35 Up for the Rawalpindi to Karachi route and 36 Down for the return journey, will consist of 16 coaches. It will travel from Faisalabad to Karachi and is expected to generate an annual revenue of approximately Rs3 billion for Pakistan Railways. This revenue is anticipated to improve the conditions of the railways, with the journey from Rawalpindi to Karachi taking 24 hours. The train, which operates under a Public-Private Partnership, departed for Karachi on Wednesday.
It will travel to Karachi via Jhelum, Gujarat, Wazirabad, Sangla Hill, Faisalabad, Khanewal, Rohri, and Hyderabad. With 16 coaches, the train will pass through the Faisalabad route and is expected to become a successful venture.
