Pakistan Railways’ Rawalpindi bound via Lahore train—Tezgam express caught fire on early Thursday morning (06:30am) while running between Liaqatpur and Chani Goth railway stations in district Rahimyar Khan. Due to this tragic incident, 73 passengers lost their precious lives while 40 others received injuries.
Talking to media, federal minister for railways Sh. Rasheed Ahmed told journalists that a member of Tablighi Jamat named Ameer Hussain booked two economy class coaches in Tezgam Train. Various passengers from Mehrabpur, Hyderabad and Nawabshah boarded the train, he added.
He told that the passengers were carrying oil stoves and gas cylinders with them which exploded, resulting death of 73 passengers and injuring 40 others. “We have decided to give a compensation of Rs1.5 million to each dead and Rs500,000 to each injured,” the minister announced.
Federal minister lauded Pakistan Army and rescue teams for their rapid and early response to this accident. He thanked army chief for making arrangement of his own transport. Federal minister told that contact has been made with the man who booked coaches and he is alive and has the details of other members for whom he has got tickets and we are making contact with their families. He told that 70 million people travel through railways in a year and 10 million of passengers are increased in our tenure. He also told that we are facing shortage of coaches and at least 2 lac passengers belonging to tablighi Jamat travels via railway and due to tablighi ijtimah 2 minutes stop has been given to 134 trains at newly built Raiwind railway station to facilitate Tablighis. He also told that it is our negligence yhat passengers were able to bring cylinders and stove in the train and as a result this incident happened. Federal minister told we don’t have scanners at small stations but at all seven big divisional headquarters we have scanner facility. To make life of passengers safe and secure is our only priority, he added. Federal minister later on reached Rahimyar Khan where he inquired after the injured passengers of the train and directed hospital administration to provide best treatment facilities to them. Prime minister Imran Khan expressed his grief over the sad incident and also directed for inquiry of the incident beside best treatment to injured ones. The injured passengers of the train have been shifted to district hospital Liaquatpur, Bahawalpur, Multan and Rahim yar Khan and train has been departed for destination after detaching burnt bogies. FGIR is also present at the site and is collecting evidences for probe and once probe is completed it will be shared with media. Chief executive officer Pakistan Railways Ejaz Ahmed Buriro, Chief Mechanical engineer carriage and wagon, chief electrical engineer and chief commercial manager are also present at the site to monitor relief activities. A helpline has also been set up on the direction of railway chairman Sikandar Sultan for obtaining information about the passengers of said train. For this purpose, contact can be made on following numbers.
Multan Division: 061-9200382, DCO Multan Division: 0311-4403720, Hyderabad Inquiry:0300-3026200, Lahore Control Office:042-99201795, Sukkur Control Office:071-9310087, Karachi Division:021-99213528, Divisional Commercial Officer Karachi:0346-8328023
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