People board a train at a railway station as they return home ahead of Eid in Lahore on July 7, 2022. — AFP

• Authorities say no initial reports of any casualties.
• Trains scheduled until tomorrow have been suspended.
• Several passenger trains stopped at different stations.

KARACHI: Train services have been suspended in Sindh after 17 wagons of a freight train derailed near Wahab Shah railway station in Matiari district, Railways officials said on Sunday.

The Pakistan Railways officials said train services on both up and down tracks were suspended after the incident, adding the line could remain closed for up to 24 hours.

Restoration work underway

Two relief trains, along with railway engineering staff, have reached the site and are now working to clear the derailed bogies and repair the damaged sections of track.

Railway officials said the derailment caused extensive damage to the railway line, with the tracks broken at several points along the affected section, slowing efforts to restore the line.

Several passenger trains were stopped at different stations following the disruption, with Karakoram Express being halted at Hyderabad station, the Allama Iqbal Express at Kotri station and the Pakistan Express at Landhi station.

The Tezgam Express was held at Drigh Road station, and Millat Express and Fareed Express were stopped at Cantt station due to the disruption.

Railways authorities said earlier that the coal hopper train — travelling from Karachi to Yousafwala — derailed near Wahab Shah railway station, disrupting operations on both the up and down railway tracks.

At the time, authorities said that there were no initial reports of any casualties.

They had said that rescue and engineering teams had been dispatched to the accident site, while trains were stopped at Tando Adam, Hyderabad, Karachi, Rohri and other railway stations.

Railways Sukkur Divisional Superintendent Farman Ghani later said that relief trains from Rohri and Kotri were being sent to the accident site.

“The track has been affected over a considerable portion and restoration will require time,” Ghani said, adding that efforts were underway to clear both tracks and resume operations.