Reporting current as of October 13–14, 2026. Details are still developing, and I note below where sources disagree. Early on Tuesday morning, October 13, 2026, a passenger train left its tracks near Multan in Pakistan’s Punjab province. Families who were asleep in their seats woke up to a violent jolt, screaming, and twisted metal. Some reports say four people died and others say five or six, and the number of injured is still being updated. I’ll go through what we know, what we don’t know yet, and why this keeps happening on Pakistan’s rail network. What Happened: Multan Train Derailment: Five Killed in Railway Accident Explained The Rehman Baba Express was traveling from Karachi to Peshawar when it derailed in the early morning hours. Reports place the accident near Sher Shah railway station, in the Multan district of Punjab. Local media said it happened at around 5:15 am, and Punjab’s emergency service said it received the call at 5:21 am. Several coaches left the track and overturned. According to one report, all 14 coaches of the train derailed. Passengers were trapped inside the damaged carriages, and some had to be pulled out by rescue workers. Here is the part that confuses many readers. Early reports said four people had died. Later reports raised the number to five, and one outlet reported six. This is normal in the first hours of a disaster, because rescuers are still working and hospitals are still counting. I use “five killed” as the headline figure because several reports settled on it, but please treat the toll as provisional. The Train and Its Route The Rehman Baba Express is a long-distance passenger service that links Karachi in the south with Peshawar in the northwest. It passes through many major cities, and Multan sits near the middle of that journey. A long route like this means the train usually carries a large crowd. One report said more than 500 passengers were on board. The Moment of the Derailment The train’s driver, Rizwan Abbas, told local media that the train was moving at about 100 kilometers per hour. He said he felt a sudden jolt as the train passed through the Sher Shah station area. He then applied the emergency brakes to stop the train. Think about what that means for a moment. A heavy passenger train at that speed carries enormous force. When the wheels lose their grip on the rails, the coaches can twist, tip, and slam into each other in seconds. Rescue Operation and Emergency Response Rescue teams reached the scene quickly. Farooq Ahmed, a spokesman for Punjab’s emergency services, said 11 ambulances and 30 rescue workers were sent to the site. Local people also rushed to help, which is common in Pakistan. Neighbors, farmers, and passersby often reach a crash site before the official teams do. Pulling Passengers From the Wreckage Trained rescuers used cutting tools to open crushed doors and bent windows. Injured passengers were carried out on stretchers and loaded into ambulances. A journalist from AFP saw the body of one victim still inside a carriage, which shows how hard the early hours were. Rescue work after a derailment is slow and risky. Rescuers must avoid shifting the wreckage while they search for people still alive. In the dark, or just after dawn, this is even harder. Hospitals Take in the Injured The injured were taken to Nishtar Hospital in Multan, one of the largest hospitals in the region. Medical teams began treating people right away. Reports gave different injury figures, ranging from about 17 in the earliest reports to more than 40 later in the day. Some outlets said around 30, and one rescue worker put the figure at 25 early on. These numbers differ because they were reported at different times. As more people were brought in and counted, the figure grew. Pakistan Railways’ chief executive, Muhammad Hafeezullah, was quoted as saying more than 40 people were injured. Casualty Figures and Why the Reports Differ Many readers search for one clear number and get frustrated when each news site gives a different one. The table below shows how the reports varied on the same day. Source Type Reported Deaths Reported Injuries Early AFP report 4 17 (rescue worker said 25) Railways Minister, citing regional director 4 Not stated Geo News (via regional outlet) 6 30 Pakistan Railways CEO Not stated 40+ Later summary reports 5 41 A death toll can change for several reasons. A badly injured person may die in hospital hours later. Teams may also find another victim trapped deep inside the wreckage. Sometimes an early count is simply wrong because of the chaos at the scene. How to Read Early Reports Wisely I suggest you follow a simple rule. Trust official statements from rail authorities and hospitals first. Treat social media videos with caution, because many are old clips from earlier accidents. Check the date and the place before you share anything. Timeline of the Accident A clear timeline helps you follow the order of events. The times below come from the reports I found, and they may be adjusted as officials release more details. Timeline of Key Events on October 13, 2026 Time (Approx.) Event Around 5:15 am The Rehman Baba Express derails near Sher Shah, Multan 5:21 am Punjab emergency services receive the call Early morning Ambulances and rescue workers reach the site Morning Injured passengers reach Nishtar Hospital Later in the day The President and Prime Minister issue statements Later in the day Railways Minister orders an investigation Official Reaction and Government Response Top leaders reacted within hours. President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his concern and offered condolences to the families of the dead. He prayed for the quick recovery of the injured. He also asked officials to give affected passengers every possible facility and called for a transparent investigation into the cause. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the accident as well. His office said he told the relevant authorities to