Father, daughter, and infant son killed in Neelum Valley crash

KARACHI:

A tragic accident claimed the lives of a father, his four-year-old daughter, and a one-and-a-half-year-old son when their vehicle plunged into a ravine at Baboon in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Neelum Valley on Monday. The tourists, hailing from Karachi, were on a holiday trip when the incident occurred.

The family, from Karachi's Federal B Area, had embarked on a tour of Pakistan’s scenic destinations two weeks ago. According to the injured survivor, the accident was caused by the driver’s negligence.

Local authorities were alerted when family members lost contact with the tourists.

The Neelum Valley police and rescue teams later confirmed the fatal accident.

Sarim Siddiqui, along with his daughter Ayesha and son Ibrahim, were killed in the crash. Five others, including two women in critical condition, were injured.

Akhtar Ayub, a Disaster Management official, told Express News that the accident occurred on a mountainous road near Jagbri. "One of the injured women is in a critical state, while the other has suffered a broken bone," he said, adding that the victims’ bodies have been sent to Muzaffarabad.

The injured survivor, Qasim, recounted the harrowing moments leading up to the crash. "We had hired a covered jeep to avoid frightening the children. The driver’s reckless driving was alarming, but he insisted it was normal on these roads. When the vehicle tilted towards the ravine, I got out with the driver, but it slipped into a 20 to 25-foot gorge, trapping Sarim, Ayesha, and Ibrahim underneath."

Qasim alleged that the driver fled after the incident, leaving them stranded until local rescuers arrived. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital where the deaths of Sarim, Ayesha, and Ibrahim were confirmed.

Meanwhile, Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori has expressed sorrow over the tragedy, offering condolences to the bereaved family and calling for swift arrangements to transport the bodies to Karachi. He also prayed for the injured’s speedy recovery and reassured the family of his support during this difficult time.