A young couple, Abdul Qayum and his wife Zainab, were expecting their first child after Eidul Fitr but a driver speeding his water bowser ran over their motorcycle, killing the would-be parents and their unborn child near Malir Halt Flyover in Model Colony.
The truck driver dragged the bike under his vehicle killing Qayum on the spot. Zainab, lying in a pool of blood, in her death throes, gave birth to a child, who also died later.
Witnesses described the accident as horrifying, with onlookers screaming in shock. A video clip surfaced on social media, showing a passerby attempting to save the newborn's life by rushing it to a hospital.
This deadly crash brings the total number of traffic accident fatalities in the city so far this year to 214. Heavy vehicles have claimed 68 lives in 83 days, including 17 from dumper collisions, 24 from trailer collisions, 14 from water tanker collisions, five from Mazda-truck collisions, and eight from bus collisions.
Incensed by the heart-rending accident, a crowd of onlookers at the scene vented their anger, pelting stones at the water tanker, breaking its windows and lights. The driver was caught, tortured, and handed over to police, who also apprehended the tanker's helper and confiscated the vehicle.
The deceased husband, 28-year-old Abdul Qayyum, and his wife Zainab were residents of Malir Cantt. They had visited Kohi Goth Hospital for a check-up and were returning home when the accident occurred. Abdul Qayyum was an employee of the Cantonment Board Malir.
The grieving family appealed to the government to take strict action against reckless tanker drivers. They demanded that tankers and dumpers be allowed to operate only after midnight to prevent such horrific accidents.
A video clip making the rounds on social media shows a citizen running towards the hospital, carrying the newborn in an attempt to save the new life.
According to statistics released by the Chhipa authorities, 214 people have lost their lives in traffic accidents this year, including 162 men, 23 women, 22 children, and seven girls. A total of 2,783 people were injured in traffic accidents, including 2,292 men, 367 women, 95 children, and 29 girls.
The news of the accident sparked widespread grief and anger among the families of the deceased and locals, who demanded practical steps from the government to prevent deadly accidents involving heavy vehicles.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ