KARACHI:
At least 12 people, including women and children, were killed and six others seriously injured on Friday in a devastating multi-vehicle collision on the M-9 highway near DHA City Karachi, police and rescue volunteers said.
The pile-up occurred when a passenger van traveling the wrong way rammed into an oil tanker and a HiAce van at Ansari Bridge. The impact was so severe that many victims were thrown several meters from the bridge onto the dirt track below.
The oil tanker traveling from Hyderabad to Karachi lost control after being hit and overturned on the HiAce and another vehicle. A rock-laden trailer following the tanker also rammed into it but narrowly avoided overturning.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Malir said the accident took place within the jurisdiction of Gadap City police station on the Super Highway link road. Police also confirmed that the passenger car and HiAce van were moving against traffic when the fatal collision occurred.
Teams of Rescue 1122, along with volunteers of Edhi Foundation and Chhipa Welfare Association, highway police and local officers rushed to the spot and shifted the injured and the bodies to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities.
Chhipa Association spokesman Chaudhry Shahid said the deceased included four girls, two boys, three women and three men. He said two of the deceased girls were identified as Muniba, 12, daughter of Ameer Jan, and Saba, 13, daughter of Ghulam Jan.
He added that the six injured were identified as Imran, 3, son of Aamir Jan; Abrar, two months, son of Aamir Jan; Rizwan, 14, son of Ghulam Jan; Aafia, 12, daughter of Ghulam Jan; Aman, 25, son of Ghulam Jan; and Raheema, 5, daughter of Ghulam Jan.
The spokesman said the identification of the remaining victims was underway, adding that all the victims belonged to the same family – children of two real brothers. The oil tanker was identified as 35-year-old Rafiullah.
Additional Inspector General of Highways Police Munir Ahmed Sheikh said vehicles traveling in the wrong direction caused the accident. He stated that the oil tanker was on its way to Karachi while the HiAce was traveling to Hyderabad and the passenger bus to Sanghar.
“Possibly, the vehicles entered the wrong track after refueling,” Sheikh said after visiting the accident site with senior Malir police officials, adding that action would be taken against anyone found negligent.
SSP Malir Dr. Abdul Khaliq Pirzada told the media that both the oil tanker and the HiAce drivers were killed. He said oil was leaking from the overturned tanker, forcing rescue teams to operate with extreme caution to prevent further disaster.
As a result, two lanes of the highway remained closed, with traffic diverted through a single lane. Heavy cranes were called in to remove the tanker and damaged vehicles and restore traffic flow.
Further investigation revealed that the Karachi-Sanghar passenger bus had entered the wrong lane on Ansari Bridge, followed by the HiAce. While trying to rejoin the M-9 towards Hyderabad, the bus collided with the oil tanker, triggering the deadly pile-up.
Edhi officials confirmed that scattered body parts were collected from the accident site and transported to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital by volunteers. Authorities also dispatched Karachi Road Accident Analysis Team to the spot and ordered immediate securing of the area.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar expressed deep grief over the tragedy, offered condolences to the bereaved families and directed the authorities to provide immediate medical attention to the injured and speed up relief efforts.
In Islamabad, Federal Communications Minister Aleem Khan ordered an immediate inquiry into the fatal accident. In a special directive to the Inspector General of Highways Police, he emphasized the need for sighting of vehicles entering the highway.
He stated that the tire quality of any vehicle – big or small – entering the highway must be strictly inspected. He categorically instructed that under no circumstances should vehicles equipped with expired or bad tires be allowed to enter the highway.
