Two coaches of the Hazara Express left the tracks near Shorkot Cantonment station on Saturday, forcing railway officials to close both lines on the busy section and throwing train services into disruption.
The train was travelling from Karachi when the coaches derailed close to the station, according to railway authorities. Officials moved quickly to suspend movement on the up and down tracks, halting trains in both directions while teams were sent to the site.
Restoration work began soon after the incident. Railway teams are working to clear the affected coaches and repair the track so that normal services can resume, but officials have not said how long the work will take.
The closure is expected to affect other trains scheduled to pass through the section. Passengers on services using the route face delays until the tracks are declared safe and reopened, and railway authorities are yet to announce revised timings for the affected trains.
The cause of the derailment remains unclear. Railway authorities have not released details about casualties or the extent of any damage, and further information is expected as the investigation and repair work continue.
The Hazara Express is a daily passenger service that runs between Karachi and Havelian, carrying large numbers of passengers along one of the country’s main railway routes. Any disruption on the line is felt quickly, because so many services share the same tracks through Punjab.
The derailment is a reminder of the pressures on the railway network. Sections of track across the country carry heavy daily traffic, and even a single incident can bring movement to a standstill for hours while engineers work to make the line safe again.
It is not the first time the Hazara Express has been involved in a serious derailment. In August 2023, ten coaches of the same train came off the tracks near Sarhari station in Sindh, killing at least 34 people and injuring more than 100. That accident, one of the worst on the network in recent years, led to calls for stronger track inspection and maintenance.
For now, the focus is on clearing the site and reopening the tracks. Railway officials say work is under way, and passengers have been advised to check the latest service updates before travelling on the affected route.