ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways recorded 95 train-related accidents between January 1 and December 20, 2025, according to official figures obtained by Express News, highlighting persistent safety challenges across the rail network.
The data indicates that the incidents ranged from derailments and collisions to acts of sabotage and damage caused by adverse weather, while railway officials acknowledged that large-scale modernisation of core infrastructure remained limited during the year.
Out of the total accidents, 46 involved derailments of passenger trains, while 43 were derailments of freight trains. The records also include one incident of a train catching fire and two accidents at level crossings, one at an unmanned crossing and the other at a manned crossing.
Security-related incidents were most pronounced in Balochistan, where railway infrastructure and the Jaffar Express were targeted in eight separate acts of sabotage during the year, underscoring ongoing security risks in the province.
Several major incidents were recorded over the course of the year. On March 11, the Jaffar Express was targeted in an attack. On May 21, the Shalimar Express collided with a brick-laden trolley at an unmanned level crossing near Siyanwala Darul Ihsan, resulting in the derailment of all 15 coaches.
Another collision occurred on May 30, when the Rehman Baba Express struck a trolley at an unmanned crossing. On June 1, the Pakistan Express narrowly avoided a serious accident near Mubarakpur after a trolley passed beneath its dining car.
June 14 saw three separate incidents on the same day. Six coaches of the Khushhal Khan Khattak Express derailed near Kandhkot, the Allama Iqbal Express developed brake block faults during its journey, and the Thal Express collided with a car.
Four days later, an explosion damaged railway tracks near Jacobabad, derailing five coaches of the Jaffar Express. Authorities described it as the second major attack on the train in 2025.
In August, six coaches of the Islamabad Express derailed between Lahore and Rawalpindi due to a broken track, injuring 30 passengers. The Awam Express derailed near Lodhran on August 17, followed by the derailment of a freight train near Paddidan on August 29. On September 11, a collision between two freight trains near Renala Khurd killed an assistant driver and injured another railway employee.
Officials said the accidents caused financial losses running into millions of rupees, with extensive damage to railway infrastructure, several coaches declared beyond repair and multiple locomotives destroyed in collisions.
Railway officials and passenger accounts also pointed to widespread operational delays throughout 2025, with trains frequently departing hours late from major stations, including Lahore.
While some stations saw improvements such as upgraded waiting areas and the introduction of Wi-Fi services, officials conceded that there was no significant progress during the year in modernising tracks, signalling systems or safety-related infrastructure.
