14 killed as truck plunges into dry canal in Sargodha fog

Victims were travelling from Islamabad to Faisalabad for a funeral, rescue officials say

SARGODHA:

At least 14 people were killed and several others injured on Saturday after a truck crashed due to dense fog in Punjab’s Sargodha district, rescue officials said.

The accident occurred near Ghalapur Bangla in Kot Momin tehsil, where visibility was extremely low because of heavy fog. A mini-truck veered off the road and fell into a dry canal, according to rescue officials.

Rescue authorities said seven people died at the scene, while the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals. Another seven people later died during treatment, raising the death toll to 14.

At the time of the accident, 23 people were travelling in the truck. They were en route from Islamabad to Faisalabad to attend a funeral. Because the motorway was closed due to fog, the driver had taken a local route.

Rescue teams arrived at the scene soon after receiving the information and launched relief operations. The bodies of the deceased and the injured were shifted to the THQ hospital.

Women and children were among those who lost their lives. The deceased were identified as Misri Khan, Haleema Bibi, Yaseen, Sonia Bibi, Pathani Bibi, Hania, Iman Fatima, Rani Bibi, Haris, Waseem, Horain, Aamna, Hareem Fatima and Saqlain. The injured were identified as Hasnain, Saqlain, Zaheer, Mumtaz, Kashif, Nadeem, Shamim, Nadia and Parveen.

Rescue officials said all those killed and injured belonged to Islamabad.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the deaths and ordered authorities to ensure strict implementation of traffic laws and safety measures on national highways and strict monitoring of precautionary measures in view of public safety due to fog.

وزیرِ اعظم محمد شہباز شریف کا سرگودھا اور اورماڑہ کے قریب ٹریفک حادثات میں قیمتی جانوں کے ضیاع پر گہرے دکھ اور رنج کا اظہار

وزیرِ اعظم کی مرحومین کی بلندی درجات اور ان کے اہل خانہ کیلئے صبر کی دعا.

وزیرِ اعظم کی حادثات میں زخمی ہونے والی افراد کو بہترین طبی سہولیات فراہم کرنے… pic.twitter.com/XY9iWdd8Oi

— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) January 17, 2026

President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed deep sorrow over the tragic traffic accidents in Sargodha and near Ormara, lamenting the loss of precious lives in the dense fog.

صدرِ مملکت آصف علی زرداری کا سرگودھا اور اورماڑہ میں المناک ٹریفک حادثات پر اظہارِ افسوس

سرگودھا میں شدید دھند کے باعث حادثات میں قیمتی جانوں کے ضیاع پر صدرِ مملکت کا گہرے رنج کا اظہار

اورماڑہ کے قریب پیش آنے والے حادثے پر بھی صدر آصف علی زرداری کا اظہارِ افسوس

صدر کی جاں بحق… pic.twitter.com/g7Fcoq05Dp

— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) January 17, 2026

He offered condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.