DOMELI, Pakistan (AP) - Sabotage to a rail track caused part of a packed express train to derail and crash into a ravine in eastern Pakistan, killing at least three people and injuring more than 40, officials said Monday.

The Islamabad Express, with up to 600 people on board, derailed about 7:30 p.m. on Sunday near the village of Domeli. Several cars toppled off the track and one tumbled 100 metres to the bottom of a gorge. Ishaq Khakwani, the minister in charge of railways, said that a section of track had "deliberately been damaged" by unknown men before the train passed on its run from Rawalpindi to Lahore.

Tools apparently used for the job were left at the scene. A senior security official said in an interview that plates which connect the rail lines to planks beneath had been removed.

"Whoever did it, he did it to kill people," the official said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to comment to media.

There was no claim of responsibility.

Acts of sabotage targeting trains are common in southwestern Baluchistan province and are usually blamed on restive tribesmen, but are rare in Punjab where Sunday's crash happened.

Shamim Sadiqui, minister for communications and railways, said three people were killed and more than 40 were injured in the crash, about 100 kilometres southeast of Islamabad.

Pakistan's Geo television reported that four were dead and 50 wounded. A rescue worker at the scene, Asif Mahood, also said four people had died.

Salimur Rahman Akhund, general manager of operations with the state-run Pakistan Railways, said between 500 and 600 passengers may have been in the 10-car train.

It was probably travelling about 60 km/h when it crashed, a normal speed for that location, said Arshad Khattak, the railway operator's chief engineer.

One survivor, Javed Butt, 30, said he was in the first car when he heard a bang, followed by a strong jolt. Butt's car remained upright and he was able to walk away from the accident.

"I heard screams and I'm sure there are lots of people injured, women and children," he said, adding he could not see the wreckage because of the dark.

Fearing major casualties, the military and civilian authorities rushed hundreds of troops and rescuers to the crash site, where they used flood lamps and generators to illuminate the wreckage and locate the injured.

About 300 railway workers were repairing a 300-metre stretch of track, and traffic on the line would be restored Monday, said Arshad Khatak, divisional engineer at Pakistan Railways.

In July, Pakistan suffered its worst train crash in a decade when a train driver misinterpreted a signal and slammed into another train at a station near Ghotki, in southern Sindh province, killing more 130 people.

12.19.2007

Amazing!!! this happened today!! check it out

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200712/200712200004.html

also, did some checking and dream 6299 says 1/28/2006!!! that is the date of this dream!!

John