Struck by tragedy, twice: Two years, two crashes, two loved ones lost

Ill-fated family lost family member in 2010 Airblue crash, lost another in the Bhoja Air crash on April 20 this year.

ISLAMABAD:


The ill-fated family who lost a family member in the 2010 Airblue crash and lost another in the Bhoja Air crash on April 20 this year has been left traumatised.


They’ve decided never to travel by air again, but rather only by train or by road regardless of how long the travelling time may be.

“Travelling by air has become a nightmare for us,” said Mubashir Ahmed, who lost his younger brother Mohammad Yousuf, 38, in the Airblue crash.


Tariq Mehmood was the next member of the family who was lost in the crash on April 20. He was buried in Okara on Saturday evening.

“On April 20 I was watching the TV and was feeling sorry for all those families who lost their loved ones in the Bhoja Air crash. The incident refreshed my pain and memories of the Airblue plane crash. At that time I was unaware of the fact that I was also among one of those families. An hour later, I received a call and learnt that Tariq was also travelling by Bhoja Air. It was a big shock for me and my wife,” he said.

Tariq was the father of a seven-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy, and was based in Karachi. He owned a transport business.

He was arriving in Islamabad to attend the passing out parade at Kakul academy which his sister’s son was participating in.

“At around 9.30 pm I came across his remains. I recognised him with his face which was 75 percent washed away but it had his lower and upper limbs attached with it,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22nd, 2012.
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