The engine of the newly launched Jinnah People’s Train derailed near Kuchlak Railway Station in Quetta on Sunday, just days after the service began operations. No passengers were injured in the incident, according to railway officials.
The train service was inaugurated on September 29 by Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi and Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti. It operates on a 32-kilometre route between Kuchlak and Sariab, with seven stations along the way.
Railway officials said engine number 5120 came off the track on Line No. 3 while it was being reversed during routine shunting operations. A replacement engine was arranged, allowing the train to continue its journey after a short delay.
There are differing accounts about what caused the derailment. Railway authorities initially suspected that a fishplate, a metal component joining two rail sections, had been stolen. However, Kuchlak police said the track was in poor condition and railway workers were already carrying out repair work there.
Pakistan Railways has ordered an inquiry to determine the actual cause. The service was later restored and continued operating normally.
The project involved an estimated Rs3 billion investment and included restoration of the Sariab-Kuchlak track.
