17 killed, over 40 injured in train collision near Karachi

At least 17 people have been killed and more than 40 others wounded after two passenger trains collided near Karachi's Landi Railway Station on Thursday morning, hospital officials said.

The collision took place when the Zakaria Express from Multan smashed into the stationary Fareed Express from Lahore from behind between Juma Goth and the Landhi Railway Station, Divisional Superintendent (DS) Railway Nasir Nazeer said.

According to Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Labour, Senator Saeed Ghani, railway officials had given a green signal by mistake to the Zakaria Express coming from behind, and it went on to hit the Fareed Express, reports the Dawn.

The Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) has claimed that so far 17 bodies were brought to the hospital's mortuary.

Trapped passengers are still being pulled out of the mangled wreckage

The injured are being shifted to nearby hospitals.

Train operations have been stopped halted following the accident.

Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said he was supervising the emergency activities with the concerned authorities.

Rafique said that an "independent inquiry" will be held to hold those responsible for the incident accountable.