ATTOCK - Railway traffic from Attock to Mianwali and Rawalpindi to Mianwali was suspended as eight bogies of Peshawar-bound Khushal Khan Khattak Express derailed on Sunday morning near Sohan Bridge and Makhad Road Railway Station on the border of Attock and Mianwali districts.

As per Rescue 1122 sources and Deputy DHO Jand Dr Haroon Khattak, no one died in the accident.

However, 10 people including 2 women received minor injuries while an elderly man’s leg was fractured who was shifted to hospital and rest of the injured were given first aid treatment on the spot.

A resident of Bani Afghana Saeed Khan and Dr Haroon who took part in the rescue operation told this scribe that the rescue teams and volunteers from nearby villages reached the site with great difficulty as the area is hilly and no road approach is available, so they had to walk for almost 2 kilometres.

Saeed Khan from nearby village said that as he came to know about the mishap, he informed the railway authorities.

Later, two relief trains from Kundian and Peshawar reached the accident site and started relief operation.

He said that all the passengers had left for their home towns.

PRO Pak Railways Ahsan Khan when contacted told this scribe that Divisional Superintendent Waqar Ahmad along with recovery team had reached the site and were busy in restoration of the railway track.

He said that food and other edibles to the passengers were provided by the people living nearby and the administration of a university.

He said that because of suspension of traffic on this route, Khushal Express and Mehr Express would be diverted to other routes while Rawalpindi railcar and Mari Indus railcars would remain suspended till repair of the railway track which could take a day or two.

It is worth mentioning that Khushal Khan Khattak express had departed from Karachi on Friday Evening and was en-route to Peshawar via Mianwali and Attock.