Six die in Keenjhar picnic tragedy

A weekend outing meant for joy turned into a tragedy for five friends from Orangi Town and a bus conductor, who lost their lives in a fatal bus accident near Thatta Bypass early Sunday morning.

A group of picnickers, all residents of Orangi Town and mostly members of Jamaat-e-Islami and their families, had set off around 2:30am for a picnic at Keenjhar Lake. However, their trip ended in disaster when their bus veered off the road and plunged into a ravine near Thatta Bypass. Families in Karachi were alerted to the accident around 5am.

The bus carrying Jamaat-e-Islami workers to Keenjhar Lake for a picnic met with an accident at Gharo, District Thatta. Five workers were martyred, and over 30 were injured, Jamaat-e-Isami said.

The deceased workers included Asad Noor, Abdul Rauf Rehmat Ali, Bishar Khan Fareed, Arbab Safdar Hussain, Muhammad Abrar Anwar, and bus conductor Ihsanullah. Among the victims, Asad and Abdul Rauf - both from Sector 12 — were cousins., and the bus conductor. The injured, including UC 4 Oranghi Chairman Ata-ur-Rabbi, Vice Chairman Karamat Ali, and others, were discharged from the hospital after treatment.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Asad's brother-in-law, Arif, said the picnic had been planned as a casual gathering among close friends. Bishar Khan, 20, was the third of six siblings and also lived in Sector 12. Arbab hailed from Sector 8/5, while Ihsanullah, who worked as a bus conductor, was a resident of MPR Colony.

After the accident, the bodies were initially shifted to the Alkhidmat mortuary in Orangi Town, except for Ihsanullah's, which was handed directly to his family. The other victims' remains were moved to Edhi's cold storage in Sohrab Goth before being returned to their families for funeral rites.

The martyrs' funeral prayers were attended by Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Amir Munim Zafar Khan, locals, relatives, and a large number of party workers.

Funeral prayers for Asad and Abdul Rauf were offered at Arkan Ground in Sector 12, followed by burial in the Sector 14 graveyard. Bishar Khan's funeral took place at a mosque near Brohi Hotel after Asr prayers, while Arbab's prayers were held at Jamia Waheediya in Sector 8/5. All six victims were laid to rest in Sector 14 cemeteries following individual rites near their homes.

MQM Pakistan senior leader MNA Syed Amin ul Haq has expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of six people in the bus accident on the Thatta bypass, where the bus carrying residents of Orangi Town slipped off the road and fell into ravine.

In a statement, Syed Aminul Haq expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery. He demanded that the government arrange for the complete medical treatment of the injured immediately.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Sunday has expressed his deep sorrow over loss of lives in Makli bus accident. He directed the DC Thatta for providing immediate medical assistance to the injured. The Sindh chief minister also directed to make immediate contact with the families of those killed and injured in the accident. The Sindh CM expressed condolence with the families of the deceased.

Gambat road crash claims one life

At least one person was killed and several others, including women and children were critically injured when a bus overturned on the Gambat National Highway in Khairpur district early Sunday morning.

According to Police, the bus driver lost control of the vehile and it flipped over, claiming one life on the spot while other over 40 injured. The bus was going from Karachi to Swabi.

Rescue teams, along with local police, reached the site shortly after the accident was reported and began providing aid to the victims. Several passengers, including those critically injured were rushed to nearby hospitals for medical treatment. Police confirmed that five individuals were in critical condition.