8 children, mother die in Chilas roof collapse

A woman and her four sons and four daughters died when the roof of their shabby house collapsed in the Bunar Das area of Chilas in Gilgit-Baltistan, police said the other day.

A local police officer told reporters that the house belonged to one Faraz Khan, a waiter at a local café in the Chilas city. According to the police, Khan was not at home, as he was waiting tables at his workplace, when the tragedy occurred early in the morning.

Local volunteers, the police officer added, rushed to the spot and retrieved the bodies of Khan’s wife and their eight children from the debris after hectic efforts of two hours. He added that the roof of the house was made of mud.

The victims were identified as Khina Bibi, wife of Faraz Khan; his sons Barkatullah, Sharafatullah, Sadaqatullah and Shifayatullah; and four daughters Lilan, Kiran, Nusrat and Nuzhat. The children were aged between 2-12 years.

President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed their grief and sorrow over the tragedy. “We share the grief with the family. May Allah grant the deceased a high place in Jannah al Firdous and grant patience to the family,” the prime minister tweeted.

Adviser to Prime Minister on Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira also expressed sorrow over the incident and sought a report on the incident from the region’s chief secretary.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)