Rest in peace: Families waiting for DNA results to identify their dead

KARACHI:

For those who lost their loved ones in the tragic road accident on the National Highway on Saturday night, the ordeal is not over yet over.

In fact, it might take at least two weeks before the results of the DNA tests come back to Karachi and help them identify and bury their loved ones.

Relatives of the deceased stood outside the Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth and said that they were waiting for the test results so their loved ones could finally be put to rest. Some of them who had to drive in from other parts of the province have decided to stay on in Karachi and vow to take the bodies of their men and women back with them.

"I don't know what is going on," said Imtiaz Ali, the brother of one of the victims, who arrived in Karachi with his friends to identify the body. "When I left home, I told my mother that I would bring my brother back. How can I return without his body? What will I say to her?" Relatives complained that the authorities were not cooperating with them. "After visiting different hospitals, I finally reached the Edhi morgue," said Imdad Ali Chandio who lost his cousin,  Imran in the accident. "These people [morgue officials] are not letting me see my cousin."

A total of 61 burned bodies are being kept at the morgue and will be handed over to the families after identification on the basis of DNA test reports.

"We cannot hand over bodies until the police ask us to do so," said an official at the Edhi morgue. "We are not stopping anyone from seeing their loved ones' body. We are just asking them not to see them in this condition. It will be too much to bear."

So far, only one body was handed over to the family. The body was identified as 22-year-old Tahir Hussain, son of Imdad Hussain who was from Rohri, Sukkur.

Tahir arrived in the city with his three cousins — Sajjad, Nizam and Imran, and two friends, Jawad and Ikhtiyar. Out of the five young men, only Ikhtiar survived.

The boys had come to Karachi for a recruitment test in the police department. The five men had decided to take the train home but opted for the bus as tickets were not available. "They could not get the train tickets so decided to take the bus," Arif told The Express Tribune. "We identified his body because of his clothes."

Arif added that the family was waiting for the DNA test reports for his cousins and friend, Jawad. 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2015.