KASUR: Two women were killed while at least 30 others sustained injuries as a van overturned after hitting several vehicles following brakes failure here on Wednesday on Multan Road near Phoolnagar Bypass.

Traffic on Multan Road also remained suspended for several hours.

According to some eyewitnesses and local police, a van carrying passengers was on its way from Okara to Lahore. Near Phoolnagar Bypass, the brakes of the van failed and it went out of control. The van hit the greenbelt and other vehicles and overturned. As a result two women - Samra (27) and Noreen (45) - riding the van were killed on the spot while 30 others, including 20 women, suffered injuries. The injured were rushed to Phoolnagar Trauma Centre from where six were referred to Lahore Jinnah Hospital owing to their critical condition.

The injured, according to Rescue 1122, include Rabia Bibi, Rashida, Hameeda, Sajida, Saba, Iqra, Abida, Khadija, Azra, Sadaf, Bashira, Zainab, Muhamamd Aslam, Nawaz Din, Rasheed Ahmed, Muhammad Zafar, Javid Latif, Tanvir Ahmed, Hafiz Ahmed, Sajid Azeem, Muhammad Shafi, Muhammad Anas, Waqar Ahmed, Munawar Fakhar, Fakhar Hussain, Azam Inayat, Muhammad Luqman and Shahzad Masih.

The van driver managed his escape. Police are looking into the matter.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2021