Reckless driving: Traffic accident claims lives of eight members of a family

The hi-roof carrying the family from Sehwan collided with a truck

HYDERABAD: The eight members of a family who died in a traffic accident on Friday night near Jamshoro were laid to rest at their ancestral graveyard in Memon Goth on Saturday.

The accident took place near Petaro, a few kilometers off Jamshoro town, between a hi-roof van and a truck which collided head-on. The van, carrying 12 passengers, was returning from the shrine of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (RA) in Sehwan to Karachi. According to witnesses, the van driver was trying to overtake another vehicle and swerved to the wrong side of the road when it collided with the oncoming truck.

The deceased and injured belong to Memon Goth, Karachi. Abdul Hameed Memon, Abdul Ghani Memon, Muhammad Zubair Memon, Daniyal Memon, Hanif Memon and Imran Mushtaq Jilani and Abdul Ghani Machliwala are among the deceased. The injured were initially taken to Liaquat University hospital from where they were referred to Karachi.

The truck driver escaped after the accident leaving the vehicle behind which has been impounded. The truck was carrying gas cylinders. The incident's FIR has not been registered so far.

Both the vehicles were apparently violating traffic regulations. The truck reportedly lacked the route permit while the van was carrying passengers beyond its capacity. The Supreme Court had warned the National Highway Authority last month that cases would be registered against its officials if an accident claimed a life on the Indus Highway in Jamshoro. 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 2^nd, 2018.