The Death Train

Asem Mustafa Awan

Islamabad: The death train Hazara Express from Karachi to Havelian met with an accident near Nawabshah, resulting in about 40 lives lost, and an investigation is underway to determine whether it was terrorist activity or a technical fault.

Ten coaches were derailed at Sirhari Station and photos from the incident site show wooden planks instead of iron plates under the joints.

Where did these iron plates go and who placed the wooden planks? If properly investigated, this will lead to the identification of individuals responsible for the accidents on the tracks, both past and present. The Prime Minister has sought a report but fixing responsibility forthe incident will not materialize as the government gets dissolved in few days.

This is no surprise that the maximum number of railway incidents have been reported on the Sukkur-Rohri track, resulting in the loss of many human lives. With no responsibility fixed, justice for the victims will be a farfetched dream.

The nation has been given many lullabies over the decades, with tracks running to Central Asia and Europe, taking Pakistanis out of this world to another where the sun shines differently and people thrive.

All governments till today are responsible for human tragedies as the institution for half a century has been overstaffed with political appointments and theft over decades has left it bare to the bones.

Poorly maintained signal systems and worn-out tracks have never been replaced, though money has been injected time and again from different donors who understand and know the potential, but as always, everyone failed due to prevailing corrupt practices.

The trains in Pakistan are rightly called the death trains as nearly all have met with accidents and the entire department is stained with the blood of innocents.

The officials from the railway ministry never tell when the repairs were carried out or how much was spent. The video footage from the tragic site shows the track was not fit for commuting and for a long time this facility has been marketed to the world to allure investors.

The Steam Safari is another story where international celebrities cherish the experience but Pakistan fails to market it for unknown reasons.

The blood-stained track of the Pakistan Railway is now being checked by the authorities but it is a futile effort as, according to reports, the track in three provinces has been damaged during floods.

A safe journey on the moving death beds is a miracle and that is the reason people tend to own personal modes of transportation, as if they go six feet under, the fault is determined, unlike the departments in Pakistan, where scores can get away with murder and continue again with the killing spree.

The incident always showed government apathy towards its subjects; the locals in the area rushed to the site to help the injured and place the dead. The emergency services journey to the site also took time. The world watches with amazement at the resilience of the people who, despite all these tragedies, still manage to get up and carry on.

The government continues to shun its subjects and refuse their existence, and life goes on in the land of the pure.

The writer is a journalist based in Islamabad and writes on a wide range of issues.

Photo Credit: AFP File