The Islamabad Express derailed near Kala Shah Ka, about 50 km from Lahore, injuring around 30 passengers, three critically.

Ten bogies were damaged, and rescue teams promptly took the injured to a nearby hospital while efforts continued to free trapped passengers.

The train rolled gently between Lahore and Rawalpindi, its rhythmic clatter weaving into the hush of evening as the horizon blushed with the last light of day.

Railway Minister Mohammad Hanif Abbas has ordered an inquiry, with a report due in seven days.