Death toll rises to 13 in M9 tragedy

Deceased tanker driver's brother recalls horrific incident

KARACHI:

The death toll from a deadly pile-up involving multiple vehicles on Superhighway near Kathore has risen to 13, after a young child succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash. Five others remain hospitalised, fighting for their lives, officials said.

According to Edhi officials, the deceased child has been identified as three-year-old Imran, son of Amir. The bodies of the other 12 victims have been shifted to Edhi's mortuary, where bereaved families called on government officials to take measures to prevent such accidents in the future.

The ill-fated group was returning from a wedding ceremony in Karachi's Shah Latif Town, when their vehicle was hit by a speeding oil tanker, causing the tragic crash. Police confirmed that the victims belonged to the Mehsud tribe.

According to initial reports, 12 people were killed on the spot and more than six injured. The death of the child during treatment raised the toll to 13. The driver of the oil tanker also died at the scene. Officials said the bodies will be sent to Hyderabad and Kotri for burial.

Speaking to the media at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, the brother of the deceased tanker driver, Shafiullah, said he and his late brother had been travelling from Dera Ismail Khan to Karachi. Shafiullah was driving another oil tanker behind Rafiullah's vehicle. "We had eaten together near Hyderabad shortly before the accident. My brother went ahead, and when I reached the site, I found bodies lying on the road," he said.

Shafiullah added that he had managed to pull some injured passengers from under the vehicles and even revived one child by giving water. "My brother was still breathing when I reached him, but he could not survive his injuries. He was a father of five - three sons and two daughters," he said.

Police continue to investigate the circumstances of the accident, while families mourn the devastating loss of loved ones in what has been described as one of the worst Superhighway tragedies in recent years.