Scant information frustrates families of crash victims

Grief-stricken relatives run from pillar to post for information about loved ones

ISLAMABAD: Grief-stricken families of Wednesday’s plane crash victims felt even more helpless on Thursday as authorities provided little-to-no information about the remains of their loved ones.

Families had gathered outside the courtesy centre and the Maternal Neonatal Child Health wing at Pims, where bodies were due to be moved from the crash site in Abbottabad.

A twin-engine Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) ATR-42 crashed into the hills of Havelian on Wednesday evening, killing all 48 people on board. Their bodies were initially moved to Ayub Medical Complex before being shifted to Islamabad on Thursday.

Many of the families had made their way to Pims from far off regions, including some from Chitral – where the flight originated. Some had reached the capital last night, having set out soon after hearing about the crash. Others reached on Thursday morning.

Despite the hustle and bustle at the hospital, few words were spoken. Many were grieving, while others were frozen in shock. Most refused to speak to the media.



Already shattered, families had a painful wait on Thursday. First, for the bodies to be flown in from Abbottabad, and then for doctors to identify the bodies. The authorities then reportedly restricted their entry to the MNCH wing – where the coffins had been kept.

Families complained that they were already undergoing a difficult time, and the authorities concerned were making their lives even harder by not guiding them.

They complained that the authorities had only made arrangements for DNA testing in Pims, even though at least 15 victims were from Chitral.

Among the haggard relatives of victims was Arshadullah, who had travelled from Malakand to reach Islamabad at 3:30 am on Thursday morning to collect the remains of his cousin, Gohar. However, he said he had no clue how and where he could collect them,

“No one is cooperating with us or telling us where to go and what to do. Even the PIA authorities are not providing any kind of assistance for travelling to Islamabad,” he complained.

Gohar was a father of five boys and worked as an accountant in the Chitral irrigation department. “The women in his family still do not know about the air crash or that he is dead,” Arshadullah said.

Gul Nawaz had been camped outside the hospital since 7am. Despite reaching the hospital early, he could not gather any information about the body of his uncle, 40-year-old Mohammad Khan.

“At Pims, they are only offering food, but no guidance about what to do or where to go,” he complained.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2016.