KHANEWAL: At least 12 people, including 11 children, were killed in a collision between a Rawalpindi-bound train and a school van in Mian Channu.
Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmed Bilour said the railway crossing where the accident occurred was unmanned.
According to DPO Khanewal, Kamran Khan, the accident occurred at around 8:15 a.m. due to heavy fog and also injured eight children.
Initial investigations revealed there were around 30 children in the van on their way to school when it collided with the Jaffer Express.
The van driver also expired in the accident. Police said the accident occurred due to the driver’s negligence.
The crossing is situated some 40 kilometres away from the Khanewal Railway Station.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif then constituted a committee headed by Home Secretary Punjab to conduct a survey of unmanned railway crossings. Meanwhile, a compensation of rupees 200,000 for each deceased’s family has also been announced.
The primary school children were all aged around eight to 10 years old, and were on their way to class when the accident happened.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani ordered an inquiry into the “tragic” incident.
“The prime minister expressed deep grief and concern over the tragic road accident in which several school children lost their lives,” a statement issued by his office said.
Gilani also asked state-owned Pakistan Railways to “ensure proper vigilance at their unmanned crossings, particularly during times of fog.”
Pakistan has one of the world's worst records for fatal rail and road accidents, blamed on poor infrastructure, badly maintained vehicles and roads, and reckless driving.
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