Azam Swati hints at conducting independent probe into Ghotki train accident

LAHORE: Federal Railway Minister Azam Swati said on Tuesday that he will conduct an independent investigation into the Ghotki train accident, ARY News reported.

Azam Swati, while talking to ARY News, said, “The governments of past 30 years, railway officers and all of us are responsible for the train accident. I am not confident over the probe being conducted by railway officers into the incident.”

The railway minister announced that he will conduct an independent investigation into the Ghotki train accident from the private sector.

Swati said that there was a clipping issue in the bogies of Millat Express when the train departed from Karachi. He continued that the maximum infrastructure age of the Sukkur Division’s railway track was 30 years, but it is still being used for 50 years.

Read: Initial inquiry report into Ghotki train accident sent to Azam Swati

He was of the view that he was not confident over the accident inquiry conducted by a railway officer. He added that corruption, mismanagement and grouping have destroyed the Pakistan Railways. Swati reiterated that Sukkur Division’s railway track is extremely dangerous and the officer who compiled the FGIR report will be interrogated as well.

The railway minister condemned the report regarding the DS Sukkur for suffering from mental disorders. He clarified that DS Sukkur Tariq Lateef is the best officer of Pakistan Railways.

The death toll in a train crash in Sindh’s Ghotki district rose to 66 on Tuesday, a railway spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

According to details, the death toll in the Ghotki train accident has surged to 66 while more than 100 persons sustained injuries. The relief and rescue operation has been completed at the crash site.

Read: Clamp of Millat Express bogie no 10 was broken, reveals eyewitness

According to the ISPR, train engine bogies have been removed from the track.

Deputy Commissioner Ghotki Muhammad Usman Abdullah said that all possible health facilities are being provided to more than 100 injured people, admitted to different hospitals of the district.

Those who killed in the tragic rail crash include 16 children, 19 women and 31 men. 57 bodies have been handed over to their families while nine bodies yet to be identified due to serious burning injuries.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Railways has resumed train operation after 35 hours, following the horrific train accident in Ghotki. Train operation has been restored from the up and down tracks following completion of rescue operation at the site of train accident.