Quetta-bound Jaffar Express derails near Taxila

WAH CANTT: A Quetta-bound passenger train on Thursday derailed near Margalla tunnel in Taxila, causing the suspension of railway traffic between Rawalpindi- Peshawar sections.

Fortunately, no casualties were reported in the accident.

According to railway authorities, the 40-down Jaffar Express, en route to Quetta from Peshawar, derailed due to “technical reasons.” The door of the train’s power plant was also broken down in the incident.

Officials stated that railway traffic would be restored “soon” after the affected track and damaged coaches undergo necessary maintenance and repairs.

Soon after the incident, the local police, railway police and senior officials of the Railway maintenance department rushed to the scene to investigate the incident and initiate rehabilitation work on the main track.

As a result of the incident, the schedules of both upcoming and down-coming trains have been affected, causing delays for passengers.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Railways’ online reservation system is dysfunctional, causing problems for the passengers at the major stations, ARY News reported on Thursday.

The railway reservation system across Pakistan has been rendered non-functional, affecting operations at major Karachi stations including City, Cantt, Drigh Road, and Landhi.

Passengers are experiencing inconvenience due to online reservation system dysfunctionality.

According to travellers, the railway’s “Raabta” mobile application—central to the modern booking system—has been non-operational for the past four days.

Users report that even when accessible, the app crashes or shuts down every 15 minutes, making online bookings nearly impossible.

Earlier, Pakistan Railways announced to provide free Wi-Fi service in 40 trains very soon.

Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi has said under the directives of Prime Minister, Pakistan Railways is working towards extending both passenger and freight services to central Asia.