A tragic incident unfolded at Khanewal Railway Station on Friday when a pedestrian bridge collapsed, claiming the life of a railway staff member and injuring a woman. Rescue officials confirmed that the injured woman was promptly taken to a nearby hospital for medical care.
According to railway sources, the collapsed structure dated back to the pre-independence era and had not seen any major renovation or reinforcement over the years.
Federal Minister for Railways, Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, swiftly responded to the incident by ordering immediate disciplinary action. As a result, three officials — Grade-18 Divisional Engineer Abid Razzaq, Grade-17 Assistant Engineer Raja Yousuf, and Grade-16 Bridge Inspector Muhammad Adil from Multan — have been suspended from their duties.
Expressing profound regret over the tragedy, Minister Abbasi directed the formation of a high-level inquiry committee to investigate the cause of the collapse. The committee will include the CEO of Railways, the Inspector General of Railways, and the Divisional Superintendent (DS) of Lahore.
Chief Executive Officer Railways, Amir Ali Baloch, has traveled to Khanewal to oversee the ongoing response and ensure appropriate measures are taken.
