Twenty-eight people were killed in southern Pakistan in an incident involving a train derailing, according to the Minister of Railways to the French Press Agency, while a state of emergency was declared in hospitals where dozens of the injured were transferred.

The Minister of Railways, Khawaja Saad Rafique, described the incident as "extremely serious," while information indicates that 28 passengers lost their lives and many were injured.

Rafique noted that at least a thousand people were on board the "Hazara Express" when it derailed in a section of the track.

He also added: "It may be due to two reasons, the first being a mechanical failure or a deliberate malfunction... it could be an act of sabotage... We will investigate the matter."

The incident occurred near the Sahar railway station close to Nawabshah city in the southern Sindh province, where eight carriages derailed.