Murree tragedy: The heart-rending tales of victims
It was an impromptu selfie, but the one taken in the final moments of life and under the watchful eyes of death that secretly lurked in the dark clouds of a massive snowstorm.
But Sohail Khan, unaware that he had captured the last freeze-frame of his life, was thrilled to click a selfie with his relatives – Asad, 22, and Muhammad Bilal, 21 – who joined him in a car to Murree. All three of them marched towards a fate they didn't predict at all.
The next photos, captured by spectators a few hours later, are tragic. The 27-year-old Sohail lies frozen along with his friends, their gleeful faces now bereft of life.
Residents of Taza Gram Mardan, Sohail and his friends were stranded in one of the many ill-fated cars stranded on a snow-covered road that was to take them to the popular tourist town, but instead took their life.
Muhammad Bilal, 24, a resident of Karachi, who was accompanying three ill-fated cousins, was also killed in the incident.
The selfie from the cheers-turned-cries incident has gone viral online with many paying tributes to the victims and their “farewell selfie”.
At least 22 tourists stranded in their vehicles succumbed to the extreme weather during a snowstorm in Murree on Friday night, according to rescue and government officials.
‘Last voice note’
Among the deceased is an officer of the Islamabad police, ASI M Naveed Iqbal, 49, along with his 43-year-old wife and six kids - four daughters and two sons. They were travelling in a car bearing an Islamabad registration number 483.
The deceased include 27-year-old Zahid, son of Zahoor, resident of Kamalabad, travelling in a Bolan carry.
The late ASI was a resident of Dadhial village, Chakwal district, Talagang.
Read In pictures: Army to the rescue as deadly blizzard wreaks havoc in Murree
Media reports said that in the last voice note, the ASI pleaded for help to his colleague.
He can be heard asking his colleague to check on the crane, saying he and his family have been stranded for the last 18 hours.
The ASI also said to his colleague in the voice message that they were holding out for cranes to start working and paving the way for stranded cars. "We are worried."
In a heartfelt statement, the Islamabad IG said the police force stood in solidarity with the family in this difficult time and expressed deep sorrow.
“All possible cooperation will be extended to the family of the late ASI,” he added.
The nation was left stunned when the news of 22 deaths owing to a deadly blizzard in Murree hit the mainstream and social media on Saturday.
The deaths of the tourists, including women and children who had flocked to the scenic spot to witness the snowfall, were nothing short of a tragedy.
Divisional Emergency Officer Rescue 1122 Dr Rehman, who is heading the rescue operation, said that 22 bodies have been recovered thus far including 10 males, two females, four boys and six girls. It was not immediately clear if people had died from asphyxiation after inhaling fumes in the snowdrift.