Marriyum Aurangzeb says opposition has postponed Azadi march rally

ISLAMABAD: The opposition parties have postponed their scheduled Azadi March rally in Islamabad in the wake of Tezgam carnage, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said the decision to postpone Azadi March public gathering in Islamabad, was jointly taken by the opposition parties.

She further stated that now the gathering will take place on Friday (tomorrow), in which Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman will announce future strategy of the march.

Earlier in the day, seventy three people reportedly dead and forty others injured when fire engulfed three bogies of Tezgam Express due to an alleged cylinder explosion at Liaquatpur in Rahim Yar Khan.

The train was on its way from Karachi to Rawalpindi when the unfortunate occurrence took place.

A Pakistan Railways official confirmed that the fire was caused by the explosion in a gas cylinder. After the blast, the raging fire engulfed two other coaches as well.

Railway officials said there were more than 200 passengers travelling in the three carriages , in which there were at least 77 passengers in one of the carriages while there 78 in the other economy class carriage. At least 54 passengers were travelling in the business class carriage.

Federal Minister for Railways, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed expressed tremendous grief and sorrow on the harrowing incident and condoled those whose loved ones have died or are injured due to the fact.

The Minister also requested individuals traveling via trains to not cook over live flames or carry possible flammable substances during travel to safeguard themselves from such tragedies.

President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed their deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in Tezgam Express fire incident in Rahim Yar Khan.