On Monday night, two people including the train driver were killed when a train struck an oil tanker.
The train which was headed to Karachi was also carrying a 40 person baraat. The bride, Sameera, was also injured.
Other passengers say that they had to arrange their own transport after the incident. Those who later came to Lahore say that the authorities did not offer any sympathy for their trial and did not even offer them water.
The gatekeeper of the crossing, Younas, told this scribe that he called the authorities multiple times after the incident, but they failed to respond.
More than 300 train related mishaps have taken place in the country between May 2014 and March 2017 according to a report presented by the Railways Ministry in the Senate.
There were 46 train related mishaps in 2013, 72 in 2014, 110 in 2015, and 64 in 2016. There have also been 4 incidents in the current year, bringing the total to 304.
These mishaps resulted in the death of 112 people while injuring another 425.
The causes of the mishaps include derailing which accounted for 88 incidents for passenger trains and 96 incidents for trains carrying goods.
The report also lists 34 cases of fires erupting on trains and 62 train-crossing related incidents.
Of the 25 extremely dangerous cases detailed in the report, one was caused by bad weather, seven by terror-related activities, and 17 by negligence of Pakistan Railways personnel, whereas nine train drivers were also admonished for their involvement in the mishaps.
The report lists the incident that took place on January 6 this year in which a train of the Hazara Express collided with a school van on a crossing, killing seven students and injuring eight others. On January 22, a train near Gojra struck a car killing 6 people from the same family. On February 8, a rickshaw was crushed by a train, resulting in the death of five rickshaw passengers.
Strict action was taken against two officers and 37 employees for their negligence over the past four years, including a chief controller and a deputy chief controller, who had their pays halted.
Four station masters and assistant station masters, as well inspectors, signal inspectors, and signal engineers also had their pay increments halted along with other employees.
Next of kin of those who lost their lives in train-related accidents in 2013 received Rs 200,000 from the ministry, while the next of kin of 17 dead in 2014 received Rs 900,000. Similar cases amounted to payments of Rs 30.4 million to 38 parties in 2015, and Rs 20.5 million to 34 parties in 2016.
Additionally, 14 of the major train related accidents happened during the tenure of incumbent Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, mainly due to unchecked railway crossings. On September 15, 2016, Awam Express collided with freight train near Multan which resulted in the death of 6 people and injuries to 92. Initial investigation reports pinned it on the train driver.
On November 3, Zakriya Express collided with Fareed Express at Jumma Goth Station which resulted in the loss of 20 lives, with the driver and assistant driver of the train being accused for the incident. On January 8, in Lodhran, South Punjab, the Hazara Express rammed into a rickshaw killing six students and resulting in injuries to four others.
The Fareed Express slammed into a rickshaw at Baseerpur railway crossing in February, crushing five people to death. The train was on its way from Lahore to Karachi. According to police, the accident happened because there was not gate on the railway crossing.
On March 11, the Kushal Express coming from Karachi slammed into a police mobile near Noushera; again the cause of the accident was cited to be a lack of proper safety measures on the railway crossing. The accident left us with one SHO and two constables dead.
