CHAGAI: Iranian authorities on Su­n­day handed over 185 more Pakist­anis to Levies Force through Raahdari Gate at Taftan border in Chagai district.

According to official sources, the Levies Force authorities later handed over them to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for further investigation and prosecution accordingly.

Initial investigation revealed that these people had crossed the border illegally in an attempt to reach Turkey and Europe for a better livelihood, while some others were working in Iran on daily wages, a Levies Force officer told Dawn.

He said that 121 detained people were from Punjab, 35 from Khyber Pakhtu­nkhwa, 17 from Sindh and 12 from Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Some of these people were arrested in different parts of Iran for not having valid travel documents.

As many as 30 people, who did not have national identity cards, were handed back to Iran and they would be received once they proved that they are Pakistani nationals, the sources said.

Three killed

Three people died after a pick-up loaded with petrol collided with a trailer coming from the opposite direction on RCD Highway in the Gazan area of Chagai district on Sunday.

Dalbandin Tehsildar Akbar Ali Maza­rzai told Dawn that the accident occurred after the pick-up went out of control as its tyre burst. Soon after the incident both vehicles caught fire. Traffic remained suspended on the Quetta-Taftan RCD highway for several hours, he added.

He said the driver of the trailer was rescued by a passerby and taken to a hospital in Dalbandin.

The fire brigade extinguished the fire after struggling for almost an hour, Mr Mazarzai said.

The deceased were burnt beyond recognition. The dead bodies were taken to Prince Fahd Hospital in Dalbandin. The deceased were identified as Amanullah, Safar Khan and Amir.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2021