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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will conduct an inquiry into the derailment of the Islamabad Express in the coming week, an official statement said on Saturday, after three cars of the passenger train went off the tracks a day earlier near the eastern city of Lahore, injuring at least 27 people.

The derailment took place in the town of Kala Shah Kaku as the train was en route to Lahore. While no fatalities were reported, women and children were among the injured, all of whom were later listed in stable condition, according to railways officials.

“Federal Government Inspector of Railways, Mr. Aamir Nisar Chaudhry, will conduct an inquiry into the derailment of the ... Islamabad Express that occurred on the evening of August 1, 2025,” said a statement issued by the Railways Headquarters in Lahore. “The inquiry will take place from August 4 to August 6, 2025.”

It said the inspector will be available to meet anyone with relevant information during the inquiry period.

The statement also invited individuals to submit written reports by post to the official conducting the inquiry, assuring the identity of informants would be kept confidential.

It said all possible factors contributing to the incident will be examined, and the investigation will be conducted transparently and without external influence.

The final report is expected to be submitted to the Ministry of Railways within seven days.

Pakistan Railways has been attempting to modernize its aging network with new trains and an overhaul of the 1,687-kilometer Karachi-Peshawar Main Line (ML-1), aimed at doubling tracks, upgrading signals and raising train speeds to 140 km/h.

Train accidents are relatively common in Pakistan, where the railway system has suffered from decades of underinvestment, outdated tracks, and aging signal infrastructure.

In 2023, at least 30 people were killed when a passenger train derailed in the southern city of Nawabshah in Sindh province.

With input from AP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has gifted a replica of the Fasting Buddha sculpture to Thailand, according to a foreign office statement circulated on Saturday, calling it a symbol of enduring diplomatic and cultural ties between the two nations.

Pakistan is home to the Gandhara Civilization, which flourished as a major center of Buddhist learning and artistic expression from the 1st century BCE to the 7th century CE. The region’s ancient city of Taxila, located on the peripheries of the country’s present-day capital, Islamabad, remains a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In recent years, Pakistan has sought to boost religious tourism by hosting Buddhist monks and pilgrims from Thailand and other Asian countries.

The replica was handed over by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Thailand, Rukhsana Afzaal, to Phanomboot Chantrachoti, Director General of Thailand’s Fine Arts Department, during a ceremony held at the National Museum in Bangkok.

“Ambassador Afzaal highlighted the replica, crafted by Pakistani artist Jamil Kakar, as a testament to Pakistan’s Gandhara legacy, centered in ancient Taxila, and its role in Buddhist civilization,” the foreign office said. “She underscored its significance in strengthening Pakistan-Thailand friendship and promoting cultural exchanges under Pakistan’s long-standing ASEAN partnership.”

Titled “A Spiritual Journey from Gandhara to ASEAN: Celebrating Shared Heritage and Religious Tourism,” the ceremony drew Thai officials, diplomats, UN representatives, academics, civil society members and media personnel.

Director General Chantrachoti welcomed the gift as a reflection of shared Gandharan and Buddhist heritage and emphasized its potential to promote cultural collaboration through exhibitions and exchanges.

The event also featured remarks by Buddhist monk, Anil Sakya, who described the Fasting Buddha as a spiritual symbol of wisdom and balance.

Dr. Nadeem Omar Tarrar, Executive Director of Pakistan’s Center for Cultural Development, spoke of the sculpture’s artistic and spiritual significance, highlighting its blend of Greco-Roman and Gandharan aesthetics.

A photographic exhibition of Gandhara artifacts and Buddhist sites in Pakistan by a leading photographer, David Chi Lau, accompanied the event.