Dozens killed in Pakistani train derailment

(CNN) -- A Pakistani express train derailed early Wednesday morning, killing at least 41 people and injuring at least 135 others, police said.

The Karachi Express was traveling from Karachi to Lahore, carrying more than 1,000 people when it derailed at about 2:25 a.m. (4:25 p.m. ET Tuesday) near the town of Sialabad, about 250 miles (400 km) north of Karachi, railway officials said.

Journalist Aftab Borka reported from the scene that about 12 of the 17 cars in the train were off the tracks and overturned.

Rangers, police and local residents responded for rescue work, according to railway officials, who said another train has arrived at the crash location to carry the injured to Lahore.

Other injured were taken to a nearby hospital, Junaid Qureshi, director of operations for Pakistan Railways, told CNN. He said the number of casualties is expected to rise.

The cause of the derailment was unknown, he said, and officials have not ruled out the possibility it was the result of a terrorist attack.

The Associated Press reported that officials said at least 56 people had been killed and 150 injured. E-mail to a friend

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