Attacks, derailments and collisions marred railway operations, as improvements were limited to station improvements.
Pakistan Railways. PHOTO: ARCHIVE
Pakistan Railways recorded 95 train accidents between January 1 and December 20, 2025, according to official data obtained by Express News.
Data shows the rail system faced challenges ranging from terrorism and derailments to collisions and flood-related damage, while officials said large-scale infrastructure modernization remained limited during the year.
Of the reported incidents, 46 involved passenger train derailments and 43 freight train derailments. The data also recorded a train fire and two accidents at level crossings, one at an unmanned crossing and another at a manned crossing.
Security concerns were particularly evident in Balochistan, where the Jaffar Express and railway tracks were subject to eight separate acts of sabotage, the data showed.
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Among the most important incidents, the Jaffar Express was attacked on March 11. On May 21, the Shalimar Express collided with a brick-laden tram at an unmanned level crossing near Siyanwala Darul Ihsan, derailing all 15 coaches.
On May 30, the Rehman Baba Express collided with a tram at an unmanned crossing, while the Pakistan Express narrowly avoided disaster near Mubarakpur on June 1 when a tram passed under its dining car.
On June 14, three different incidents were recorded in a single day. Six coaches of the Khushhal Khan Khattak Express derailed near Kandhkot, the Allama Iqbal Express developed brake shoe failure mid-journey and the Thal Express collided with a car.
Four days later, an explosion damaged train tracks near Jacobabad and derailed five cars of the Jaffar Express in what authorities described as the second major attack on the train.
In August, six coaches of the Islamabad Express derailed between Lahore and Rawalpindi due to a track break, injuring 30 passengers. The Awam Express derailed near Lodhran on August 17, while a freight train derailed near Paddidan on August 29. On September 11, two freight trains collided near Renala Khurd, killing an assistant conductor and injuring another railway employee.
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The accidents caused financial losses worth millions of rupees to the railway infrastructure, with several coaches damaged beyond repair and multiple engines destroyed in collisions.
According to railway officials and passenger accounts, persistent delays marked operations throughout 2025, with trains frequently leaving hours late from major stations, including Lahore.
While station buildings and waiting areas were upgraded and Wi-Fi facilities were introduced in some locations, officials acknowledged that no major progress was made on track modernization, signaling systems or safety infrastructure during the year.
