At least 30 injured after several coaches of passenger train derail in Pakistan

Lahore, Aug 02: At least 30 passengers were injured after several coaches of a train derailed near Lahore, officials said on Saturday.

According to the Pakistan Railways, the Islamabad Express that was going to Rawalpindi from Lahore derailed at Kala Shah Kaku, Sheikhupura, some 50 km from Lahore, on Friday evening.

"At least 10 coaches of the train have been derailed in Sheikhupura, leaving about 30 passengers injured. Three of them are critical," the railways said in a statement late on Friday night.

Rescue teams reached the spot and shifted the injured to a nearby hospital.

Meanwhile, efforts are underway to rescue some passengers who are still trapped in the coaches, according to the officials.

The railways said so far, no casualty has been reported. It further said the train coaches derailed half an hour after leaving Lahore railway station.

Railways Minister Muhammad Hanif Abbasi took notice of the derailment and directed the Railways CEO and the divisional superintendent to reach the site of the accident and monitor the situation. He also directed them to launch a probe into the matter and submit the inquiry findings within 7 days.