ISLAMABAD  -   Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique yesterday informed the National Assembly that six railway officials have been suspended in connection with the Nawabshah train accident. The suspended officials included two 18-grade officers, he said.

The minister also said that investigation into the accident is underway and the final report will be compiled in a couple of days.

Explain about the expected cause of the accident, he said two wheels of a bogie were jammed when the train embarked from Karachi, which should have been removed from the train. He said a piece of railway track

near the accident site was damaged, which led to the accident. He categorically rejected the media reports regarding the use of wood as a joint in the railway track. The minister also said Rs1.5 million are being given as compensation to the families of the each deceased passenger.

Meanwhile, Minister for Communication Maulana Asad Mahmood in a last private members day of the current national assembly said there was a need for upholding the Constitution, strengthening democracy, and respecting the state institutions. “Our party [JUI-F] never believes in demoralizing the state institutions and people working with them,” said the minister while speaking on a point of order.

He said they respect sacrifices of all the political parties for the cause of democracy and the Constitution in the country. “There is a need to work with unity amongst the people to restore peace in the country in order to achieve economic goals,” he said, adding that peace and prosperity is linked with restoring unity among people. About the fight against terrorism, he said JUI-F has recently convened a Grand National Jirga of tribal people, which proposed Pakistan and Afghanistan to formulate a common strategy to fight terrorism.

The House also passed “The Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Bill, 2023,” and “The Wapda University Islamabad Bill, 2023.”