Train operations in Sindh have been suspended following the derailment of 17 wagons from a freight train near Wahab Shah railway station in Matiari district. Pakistan Railways officials confirmed the disruption on Sunday, stating that services on both the up and down tracks have been halted due to the incident.
In a significant development, the railway line could remain closed for as long as 24 hours while recovery efforts are underway. Two relief trains accompanied by railway engineering teams have arrived at the site and are actively working to remove the derailed bogies and repair the damaged track sections.
The derailment inflicted substantial damage on the railway infrastructure, with multiple breaks along the affected stretch, which has complicated and slowed down the restoration process. As a result, several passenger trains have been held at various stations. Notably, the Karakoram Express is stopped at Hyderabad station, the Allama Iqbal Express at Kotri, and the Pakistan Express at Landhi station.
Meanwhile, the Tezgam Express remains halted at Drigh Road station, while the Millat Express and Fareed Express are stopped at Cantt station due to the ongoing disruption. The freight train involved was a coal hopper service traveling from Karachi to Yousafwala when it derailed near Wahab Shah.
Authorities have reported no initial casualties from the accident. Rescue and engineering teams were promptly dispatched to the scene, and train services were suspended at key stations including Tando Adam, Hyderabad, Karachi, and Rohri to manage the situation.
Railways Sukkur Divisional Superintendent Farman Ghani stated that relief trains from Rohri and Kotri have been sent to assist at the accident site. He emphasized that the track damage spans a significant area, meaning restoration will require considerable time and effort. Work is ongoing to clear both tracks and resume normal train operations as soon as possible.
