Six Railways officials sacked over Tezgam tragedy

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Railways has suspended six officials including two divisional commercial officers, two deputy superintendent of railways' police and two assistant commercial officers over the shocking incident of train inferno that claimed 72 lives and left 42 others injured. 

The ministry issued Tuesday a notification regarding suspension of its officials. The officials who have been suspended include Divisional Commercial Officer Karachi Junaid Aslam, Divisional Commercial Officer Sukkur Abid Qamar Sheikh, Assistant Commercial Officer Sukkur Rashid Ali, Assistant Commercial Officer Karachi Ehsan-ul-Haq, Deputy Superintendent of Railway Police Sukkur Dilawar Memon and Deputy Superintendent Railway Police Karachi Habibullah Khattak.

The railway officials said that the incident occurred when a gas cylinder – apparently brought on board by passengers – exploded. However, eyewitnesses claimed the fire was caused by a short circuit in the train.

The inferno swept through Tezgam as the train reached near Liaqatpur city in the Southern Punjab district of Rahim Yar Khan, according to PR.