At least 15 people have died when a train derailed in southern Pakistan on Sunday.

A Pakistani railway official Mohsin Syal said in remarks that ten coaches of the Hazara Express train, travelling from Karachi to Abbottabad, south of the country, derailed, killing at least 15 passengers and injuring 50 others.

He pointed out that the accident occurred near a town in Sindh province, about 275 km from Karachi, the largest city in the country, adding that the authorities have opened investigations into the reasons for the departure of the trains.

Train accidents are common in Pakistan's railway system, where the large rail network and trains date back to the British colonial era.

Successive governments have tried for years to secure financing for the development of that network as part of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for infrastructure projects.

Source: Qatar News Agency