A passenger train has derailed in Pakistan's southern Sindh Province, killing at least one person, and injuring 40 others, officials said.
Eight cars of the 18-car train that departed early on March 7 from Karachi for the eastern city of Lahore derailed and six fell into a shallow ditch, said Kamran Lashari, a railway official.
The accident took place between the Rohri and Sangi stations, causing a temporary suspension of railway traffic in both directions, Lashari added.
The body of the woman who died and 40 injured passengers were taken to nearby hospitals, rescue official Muhammad Arshad was quoted by AP as saying.
Several people were still trapped inside the train, as darkness and the remote location of the derailment hampered rescue efforts, local media reported. It wasn't immediately known how many passengers were on the train.
Railway Minister Azam Sawati told a local television station that a probe was launched to establish what caused the derailment. He also said the government would provide financial compensation to the family of the deceased woman and the injured people.
Train accidents are common in Pakistan, where the authorities are criticized for failing to improve the poorly maintained signal system and aging tracks.
