Attacks, derailments, collisions marred railway operations as upgrades remained limited to improvements at stations
Pakistan Railways. PHOTO: FILE
Pakistan Railways recorded 95 train accidents between January 1 and December 20, 2025, according to official data obtained by Express News.
The data shows the railway system faced challenges ranging from terrorism and derailments to collisions and flood-related damage, while officials said large-scale infrastructure modernisation remained limited during the year.
Of the reported incidents, 46 involved passenger train derailments and 43 freight train derailments. The data also recorded a train fire and two accidents at level crossings, one at an unmanned crossing and another at a manned crossing.
Security concerns were particularly evident in Balochistan, where the Jaffar Express and railway tracks were targeted in eight separate acts of sabotage, the data showed.
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Among major incidents, the Jaffar Express was targeted on March 11. On May 21, the Shalimar Express collided with a brick-laden trolley at an unmanned level crossing near Siyanwala Darul Ihsan, derailing all 15 coaches.
On May 30, the Rehman Baba Express collided with a trolley at an unmanned crossing, while the Pakistan Express narrowly avoided disaster near Mubarakpur on June 1 when a trolley passed beneath its dining car.
June 14 recorded three separate incidents in a single day. Six coaches of the Khushhal Khan Khattak Express derailed near Kandhkot, the Allama Iqbal Express developed brake block faults mid-journey, and the Thal Express collided with a car.
Four days later, an explosion damaged railway tracks near Jacobabad, derailing five coaches of the Jaffar Express in what authorities described as the second major attack on the train.
In August, six coaches of the Islamabad Express derailed between Lahore and Rawalpindi due to a broken track, injuring 30 passengers. The Awam Express derailed near Lodhran on August 17, while a freight train derailed near Paddidan on August 29. On September 11, two freight trains collided near Renala Khurd, killing an assistant driver and injuring another railway employee.
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The accidents caused financial losses worth millions of rupees to railway infrastructure, with several coaches damaged beyond repair and multiple engines destroyed in collisions.
According to railway officials and passenger accounts, persistent delays marked operations throughout 2025, with trains frequently departing hours behind schedule from major stations, including Lahore.
While station buildings and waiting areas were upgraded and Wi-Fi facilities introduced at some locations, officials acknowledged that no major progress was made in modernising tracks, signalling systems or safety infrastructure during the year.
