MIANWALI, Sept 7: Free education will be given to the children of families, which lost their 18 children in an accident on Saturday, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said here on Sunday.

Eighteen students and their driver drowned after their van plunged into Mohajar Branch Canal, about 25 kilometres from Mianwali. Of the 19 dead, the bodies of 17 were retrieved from the canal by late Saturday night, while two bodies were retrieved on Sunday morning.

After landing at the PAF Base in Mianwali, Sharif drove straight to Ghanjeranwala in Muzaffarpur, 30 kilometres from Mianwali, and met the grieved parents. He gave Rs300,000 cheque to the parents of each victim, including the driver. He also met Khadija, 7, and Atif, 5, who survived the accident. He directed the authorities to upgrade the Chak Meras Boys Middle School and build a high school here for girls.

The chief minister ordered reconstruction of bridges on Mohajar Branch Canal and announced that the road from Harnoli to Musakhel would be widened.

On this occasion, the locals demanded that a planned cadet college should not be transferred from Chhidru to Kot Chandna under political pressure. Sharif promised the college would be constructed in Chhidru only. He also promised he would again visit the district to listen to people’s problems.