Faisalabad, May 21, 2025: At least 25 people, including the driver and assistant driver, were injured when the Shalimar Express collided with a tractor-trolley early Wednesday morning near Chak No. 142-RB Chuti Ghartal, under the jurisdiction of Sahianwala police station.
According to a police spokesperson, the train was en route from Faisalabad to Lahore around 4:00 a.m. when it struck a bricks-laden tractor-trolley stranded at an unmanned railway crossing. Preliminary reports suggest the trolley ran out of fuel and was immobile on the tracks at the time of the incident.
The collision caused two coaches to derail, with one coach coming to a halt nearly one kilometer from the impact site. Emergency responders from Rescue 1122 reached the scene promptly, administering first aid on-site and transferring critically injured passengers to THQ Hospital Chak Jhumra.
As a result of the accident, rail traffic between Sahianwala and Salarwala was suspended, and services between Faisalabad, Lahore, and Wazirabad were halted indefinitely due to damage to the railway track.
The tractor-trolley driver fled the scene, though police have impounded the vehicle. City Police Officer Sahibzada Bilal Umar took notice of the incident, dispatching senior officers to oversee rescue efforts and liaise with Pakistan Railways.
Authorities confirmed that a joint investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the incident. Railway officials are currently assessing infrastructure damage and working to restore services as soon as possible.
