At least five people were killed and more than 30 injured when a passenger train derailed near the city of Multan in Pakistan's Punjab province early on Tuesday, 13 October. An investigation into the cause of the accident has been launched.

The Rehman Baba Express, which runs from Karachi, the country's largest city and main port in the south, to Peshawar in the north-west, left the tracks at around 5.15am local time near Sher Shah railway station. All 14 carriages derailed, and several overturned, trapping passengers inside.

Rescue workers, police and local residents searched through the wreckage, while cranes were brought in to remove the damaged coaches. The injured were taken to Nishtar Hospital in Multan, a major city in southern Punjab. At least one person was reported to be in critical condition, so the toll could change as more information emerges.

Pakistan Railways, the state-run rail operator, said all passengers had been evacuated from the train. Services on the affected line were suspended, and a relief train and a medical unit were sent to the scene. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered authorities to speed up rescue efforts and to make sure the injured receive proper medical care.

The cause of the derailment is not yet known, and officials have not said what the investigation will examine. Trains are a vital means of long-distance travel in Pakistan, carrying large numbers of passengers between its major cities each day. The Karachi–Peshawar route is one of the longest on the network, linking the south of the country with the north-west through Punjab, its most populous province.

Further details on the casualties and the findings of the inquiry are expected as the investigation proceeds.