The Pakistan Ministry of Railways has attributed the derailment of three Jaffar Express passenger train coaches near Shikarpur on Monday to a technical fault, refuting earlier reports of an explosion.

One passenger, Aurangzeb Pathan from Quetta, sustained injuries after falling from his berth during the derailment.

Initial reports suggested an explosion caused the accident. However, the ministry clarified in a statement that the sound of the derailment was mistaken for an explosion by locals, leading to widespread panic and assumptions of a terrorist attack.

A militant group claimed responsibility for an “armed attack.” The ministry dismissed this claim as baseless and opportunistic.

The Jaffar Express, traveling from Peshawar to Quetta, experienced the derailment on Monday, according to Sukkur Divisional Superintendent Railways Jamshaid Alam. Following initial explosion reports, senior officials, including the Shikarpur Deputy Commissioner and SSP, along with railway authorities and a bomb disposal unit, thoroughly investigated the site, finding no evidence of an explosion.