KARACHI, Jan 29: The Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) has expressed grief over the death of some 15 persons in the Shikarpur train incident and demanded a judicial inquiry to ascertain the responsible persons.

In a statement issued here on Monday, the PPP leaders Raza Rabbani, Qaim Ali Shah and Waqar Mehdi said that the railway authorities did not ply extra train on the said track despite the fact that during Muharram the number of passengers and mourners were increased.

The leaders held the railway administration and the federal railways minister responsible for the tragic incident and demanded to conduct a judicial inquiry and award exemplary punishment to those responsible for the tragedy.

They also demanded to pay compensation to the bereaved families and those who were injured in the incident.

Meanwhile, the Awami National Party terming the Shikarpur incident that left many dead as a failure of the authorities, has demanded that those found responsible be taken to task and the minister concerned should resign immediately.

In a statement issued here on Monday, ANP Sindh chief Shahi Syed said that since travelling atop train compartments was against the law then the train should not have been allowed to leave the station if people had boarded on the train roof.

He said that it was criminal negligence on part of the railways officials concerned and they should be tried for the crime and punished according to law. The minister concerned, taking the responsibility of the disaster, should resign immediately, he demanded.

He also demanded that adequate compensation be paid to all heirs of all those who died and got injured.