Tragedy in Rahim Yar Khan: Horror road crash leaves 30 dead

Dozens wounded when two buses collided head-on

BAHAWALPUR: Two buses, carrying around 100 passengers, collided head on in a southern Punjab district on Monday, leaving 30 people dead and dozens others wounded, amid fears that the death toll could go up as some of the survivors are said to have life-threatening wounds.

The deadly crash happened in the Dhareja area of Rahim Yar Khan district at 6.12 am, according to Rescue 1122 District Emergency Officer Dr Abdul Sattar Babar. “One passenger bus was en route to Lahore from Karachi, while the other was travelling to Sadiqabad from Faisalabad,” he added.

Local police official Jamshid Shah said speeding seemed to be the cause of the accident, which occurred on a dangerous curve.

The two vehicles slammed into roadside trees after colliding with each other near Dhareja railway crossing. At least 24 passengers, including seven from the same family, died on the spot while nearly 60 received injuries.

The casualties – including women and children – were driven to different hospitals of south Punjab districts where a state of emergency was declared. Medics said some of the bodies were mutilated beyond recognition.

Local administration official Zafar Iqbal put the death toll at 27, saying another 50 passengers were wounded. Assistant District Education Officer Imdadullah and his wife Tayyaba Bibi are among the dead. “We fear the casualty figures might go up,” he added.

Dr Babar said the crash was so intense that the two vehicles had turned into heaps of mangled metal. District Coordination Officer Capt (retd) Saqib Zafar visited some of the injured at the Sheikh Zayed Hospital. “Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has ordered an inquiry into the accident,” he told journalists. “The inquiry committee will soon arrive in Rahim Yar Khan to start investigation,” he added while confirming the crash happened due to speeding.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2016.