Sunday’s Shalimar Express accident has once again exposed the deep-rooted structural and operational deficiencies within Pakistan Railways, putting thousands of passengers at ongoing risk. Investigations point to both human error and technical negligence: while the train’s driver and assistant have been blamed for overshooting and failing to stop on time, inspections revealed that nine of the 18 coaches were operating without functional brakes.
Experts warn that no skillful operator can compensate for defective equipment. The real failure lies with management, where maintenance protocols appear largely ignored and safety inspections routinely bypassed. The tendency to shift blame onto operational staff, rather than addressing systemic lapses in oversight and maintenance, reflects a broader culture of institutional negligence.
Public trust in the railway system has eroded, and analysts argue that without fundamental reforms in accountability and safety enforcement, such tragedies are likely to recur. Meaningful change requires responsibility to extend beyond immediate operators to those overseeing rolling stock, inspections, and overall railway governance.
