The Opposition called for the resignation and arrest of Railway Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed after two trains collided near Sadiqabad on Thursday.

At least 16 people were killed and 67 others injured when a passenger train collided with a freight train near Sadiqabad.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari while expressing grief over the accident said, “Imran Khan has given many examples of resignation over accidents. Why is he not asking for resignation from his own minister?”

He added, “Don’t know how many more lives will be lost because of Sheikh Rasheed’s romance with the ministry.”

The PPP leader further said Sheikh Rasheed and Imran Khan are only doing point-scoring. “The country is also running like the railways ministry. Sheikh Rasheed also destroyed the railways during Musharaff’s era,” Bilawal added.

Senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal said, “Imran Khan cannot ask for resignation but he can give the ministry to a person who has the time to run it.”

“The prime minister should discourage the trend of false performances,” he added.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said it was worrying that there was an increase in the number of train accidents. “The reason and motive behind the accident should be brought forward to determine the perpetrators,” the PML-N leader added.

PML-N leader Tallal Chaudhry called for Sheikh Rasheed to hand in his resignation and said, “Imran Niazi should give some other ministry to Sheikh Rasheed. Imran Khan should determine the safety of the public before running any more trains,” he said.

Furthermore, the PML-N has submitted a resolution in the Punjab Assembly calling for a case to be registered against Rasheed and his subsequent arrest.

The resolution was submitted by PML-N leader Hina Pervaiz Butt which states, Sheikh Rasheed is responsible for the Akbar Express accident and that the railways minister does not have any moral justification to stay on his post.