Six girls from the same family, including four sisters, died due to suffocation in a wheat silo at their home in Kot Momin.
According to local residents, the parents of the sisters had gone to work in a nearby area after cleaning the wheat silo and leaving it in the courtyard of their home in Totiyawali near Jinnah Colony.
The girls entered the silo while playing, but its door shut, leading to their suffocation.
The victims were identified as eight-year-old Samia, six-year-old Amna Fatima, four-year-old Sawera Rani and one-year-old Dua Fatima, daughters of Yasir Ali, along with seven-year-old Mariyam, daughter of Fayyaz Ahmed and six-year-old Sonia, daughter of Riaz Ahmad.
Upon receiving information about the incident, Sargodha District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Sohaib Ashraf, the superintendent of police (SP) investigation and Kot Momin ASP reached the spot along with a large police contingent.
Forensic experts and Rescue 1122 teams also arrived at the scene to collect evidence and investigate the incident.
The bodies were shifted to a local hospital.
The entire neighborhood plunged into grief as the bereaved family, especially the parents, wailed and suffered fits.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif expressed heartfelt condolences and sympathy with the bereaved family.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf North Punjab General Secretary and Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Ansar Iqbal also expressed deep sorrow and grief over the death of the girls. In a message, he stated that the heart-wrenching incident was a source of pain and distress for every conscious person. He prayed for the parents of the deceased girls to bear the loss with fortitude and expressed solidarity with the bereaved family.
A week earlier, two young brothers had lost their lives after being accidentally trapped in an iron tank in a village near Daska. Police said Arham, six, and Obaidullah, five, sons of Afzal Goraiya, were playing at home when they climbed onto the rooftop where the iron tank cleaned for the wheat harvest had been left.
While playing, the children entered the tank and accidentally closed the lid. The hook-like latch on top automatically locked, trapping the boys inside. The family realised something was wrong when the children did not return.
After a search and enquiries in the neighborhood, they contacted the Daska Saddar police.
Announcements were made through local mosques.
Late at night, during another round of searching, family members finally checked the iron tank.
Upon opening the lid, they found the lifeless bodies of Arham and Obaidullah inside.
The boys were rushed to the Daska Civil Hospital, but doctors confirmed their deaths due to suffocation. Grief engulfed the village as funeral prayers were offered for the brothers.
A police official urged parents to keep a close watch on young children, especially near potential hazards like water tanks, ponds and rooftops.
"Even a small lapse can lead to lifelong regret," he said, recalling a tragedy in Sialkot where a toddler had drowned in a bucket.
Iqbal Parhar
With additional input from APP
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