Family of eight dies on the way to a wedding

SUKKUR/ KARACHI:

The fatal accident that claimed more than 60 lives on Karachi’s National Highway included 17 people from different parts of upper Sindh.

Three of the deceased, including Abdul Qadeer Shah and Muhammad Ibrahim, were from Shikarpur and had gone to visit family in Karachi and were on their way back home when the accident took place. The other passenger from Shikarpur was a man identified as Samiullah who had gone to see his sick sister in Karachi.

Six young men - Jawwad Hussain Dharejo, Tahir Katohar, Sajjad Ali Katohar, Nizamuddin Katohar, Imran Katohar and Ikhtiyar Katohar from the Dara Wahan village near Kandhra which is 15 kilometers from Sukkur were also on board. According to source, they had gone to Karachi to sit for a recruitment test in the special security police force.

Ikhtiyar Ali Katohar was the only one to survive.

Relatives of the deceased have left for Karachi for DNA tests to help with the identification process.

Eight people of a family from Pathan Goth, Mirpur Mathelo in district Ghotki, were also among the deceased. They were identified as Haji Adam Lund, his daughter-in-law Mai Umra, Khadija, Imtiaz Ali, Ahmed Ali and grand children: Khursheedan, Suriya and Khalida.

Sources claimed that the victims were residents of Pathan Goth and had shifted to Karachi four years ago due to a tribal feud. Haji Adam, Imtiaz Ali and Ahmed Ali were rickshaw drivers and the women used to work as maids. They were all on the way to Mirpur Mathelo to attend a family wedding.

Relatives of salesman hopes he’s still alive

Azmatullah was on his way to attend his uncle’s chehlum in Moro City when he died in Saturday night’s tragic road accident. When he booked a seat on the passenger coach travelling from Karachi to Shikarpur at the last minute, he did not know that a couple of hours later, his family would have to gather to attend his funeral.

“The family was unaware of the accident,” said a cousin of the deceased standing outside Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. “Early in the morning our relatives from Moro called and said that he had not made it.” Azmat, leaves behind a wife and three children, and used to work as a sales manager for a pharmaceutical company. His cousin, who was constantly on his cell phone updating the family about what was going on at the hospital, said that he had gone inside the morgue to identify Azmat but couldn’t as the bodies were completely charred. He added that most bodies were burnt beyond recognition and identification would only be possible through DNA tests.

“The authorities should suspend the current staff at the fire brigade department,” said Azmat’s uncle Sameerullah. “They should hire new men who are trained and willing to work. Their job isn’t a nine to five job. It is a commitment to humanity.” Still waiting to identify Azmat, his family clings to the hope that he is alive.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2015.