Sargodha/makran: At least 27 people were killed and several others injured in different accidents in Punjab and Balochistan on Saturday. The accidents took place in Sargodha, Makrarn, Daska and Pattoki.
At least 14 people were killed and several other were wounded when a mini-truck fell into canal due to dense fog in Sargodha on late Friday night. According to details, the ill-fated mini-truck was carrying 23 people who were going to attend a funeral. It fell into Ghullapur Canal as visibility was low due to heavy fog.
'Due to heavy fog, the motorway was closed, so the vehicle took a local route. In the area of Kot Momin tehsil, the truck fell from the Galapur bridge into the canal,' said a statement from Rescue 1122, adding that the truck 'lost control because of poor visibility'.
Dense fog often paralyses traffic on Punjab's motorways and major thoroughfares during the winter months.
The rescue sources informed that the canal was dry and all the persons died after being trapped under the vehicle.
Police and rescue teams have shifted the dead and injured to hospital. According to rescue sources, the death toll may rise further as three injured persons were in critical condition.
Women and children were among those who lost their lives. The deceased were identified as Misri Khan, Haleema Bibi, Yaseen, Sonia Bibi, Pathani Bibi, Hania, Iman Fatima, Rani Bibi, Haris, Waseem, Horain, Aamna, Hareem Fatima and Saqlain. The injured were identified as Hasnain, Saqlain, Zaheer, Mumtaz, Kashif, Nadeem, Shamim, Nadia and Parveen.
Rescue officials said all those killed and injured belonged to Islamabad.
Meanwhile at least 9 passengers were killed and 36 others injured when a high-speed passenger bus overturned on the Makran Coastal Highway near Ormara in Gwadar district on Saturday.
According to SP Highway Police Aslam Bangulzai, the accident occurred near the Hud Goth area, where the bus lost control due to overspeeding and overturned. Rescue teams and police rushed to the scene and shifted the bodies of the deceased and the injured to Ormara Hospital.
Police officials said the bus was traveling from Karachi to Jiwani. Most of the victims belonged to different areas of Sindh and were heading to Jiwani for labor work. A total of 45 passengers were on board the bus at the time of the accident.
Authorities added that seven of the injured are in critical condition, raising concerns that the death toll may increase.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Khan Bugti expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious human lives and ordered a detailed inquiry into the incident. He also sought a comprehensive report on the accident.
The chief minister directed the Deputy Commissioner Gwadar to ensure proper medical care and treatment for the injured passengers. He further instructed authorities to provide ambulance services to transport the bodies of the deceased to their native areas.
Meanwhile two persons were killed in Daska and two others were killed in Pattoki.