Scores of bodies arrive home to grieving families, friends

Muhammad Ali, a 38-year-old Edhi ambulance driver, hasn’t been able to eat.

Muhammad Ali hasn’t been able to eat. The 38-year-old Edhi ambulance driver has ferried many bodies to hospitals over the course of 13 years, but even he could not handle the Islamabad plane crash tragedy.

So far, 34 coffins have arrived at Karachi since Thursday. “I could not drive properly after I saw the relatives of Faisal and Atif screaming [in their grief],” said Ali, who transported the bodies of the two brothers on Friday.

He could not hold back his own tears after leaving their DHA Phase VI residence. “Jawani ki maut se khuda bachae,” he said. “I could see myself in their place.” Their relatives did not know what to do. “Their father was trying to console his daughters, but he couldn’t control his own tears.”

The bodies of Aashiq Hussain, Wahid Aftab Sheikh, Afzal Khan, Hussain Alam, Rahim Rajput, Shazia Ali Shirazi, Asim Haider, Manzoor Aamir, Seemi Lodhi, Aamir Siddiqui, Andaleeb, Mubashir Shahid, Saleem Bangash, Muhammad Asad, Atif Shehzad, Naheed Bhatti and Arif Hussain arrived on PIA flight PK 379, according to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) officials.

They said that remains of Atif, Muhammad Asad, Salam Bukhsh, Mubashir, Maqsood, Tariq Shahid, Fareed Ahmad Alvi and Muhammad Feroz arrived via Shaheen Air International. An Airblue flight brought home Saleem Ahmad, Shamsul Haq and Javaid Iqbal.

Their families waited all night at the Jinnah International Airport’s arrival lounge. Later in the day, thousands attended the funerals across the city.

The funeral prayers for Aamir Siddiqui were offered at Hajra Mosque and he was buried at the Sakhi Hasan Graveyard on Friday. Siddiqui, a resident of North Nazimabad, was a businessman by profession and had five children. He was travelling to Islamabad for a business meeting.

Waheed Aftab Skeikh’s body was received by his brother Naveed. He was a resident of Gulistan-e-Jauhar and had five siblings.

According to his relatives, he was going to Islamabad to join the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority as a grade 17 officer.

The funeral prayers and burial of Afzal Muhammad, a member of the All Pakistan Oil Tankers Association, were held at Janjaal Goth. He hailed from South Waziristan and lived in Federal B Area. He is survived by a wife and six children.

Muhammad Asad was a resident of Gulshan-e-Iqbal and a contractor by profession. He was going to Islamabad for a meeting. His funeral services were performed at the Baitul Mukarram Mosque.

The coffin of flight attendant Naheed Bhatti also reached Karachi on Friday. She was a resident of Saadat Colony. Her funeral services were performed at United Missionary Church. She was supposed to get married after three months.

The funeral of Hussain Alam, who was a resident of Nazimabad, was held at Shuhada-e-Karbala Imambargah at Ancholi. He was buried at Wadi-e-Hussain. He leaves behind two children.

The funeral prayers of Bilal Jami, a student of Karachi University and a member of the Youth Parliament, were offered at Rabia City, in Gulistan-i-Jauhar and he was buried at the university according to his parent’s wishes.

Misha Dawood’s funeral prayers were offered in Defence area.

According to a CAA spokesperson, some of the bodies have been buried in Islamabad or taken to their hometowns. “We are trying to help the relatives of victims of the plane crash as much as possible,” he went on to say.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st, 2010.