MIANWALI: Renowned folk singer Sharafat Ali Khan Baloch along with six others, including his two younger brothers, died in an accident when their car plunged into a canal at Paka Ghanjeranwala, some 30-km from here, on Thursday morning.

Reports said Sharafat Ali Khan Baloch, accompanied by six others, was returning from a performance at a wedding in Chidro village. Their vehicle, a Fortuner, skidded off the side road and fell into the canal at approximately 2:30am. A local contacted the Rescue 1122 for assistance in retrieving the vehicle.

A Rescue 1122 team from Mianwali reached the spot with equipment. Despite the darkness of the early morning, the divers retrieved the seven bodies.

The deceased were identified as Sharafat Ali, his brothers Anwaar Ali and Najaf Ali Khan, Muqaddar Khan, Tahir Abbas, Malik Ashfaq and Aamir Ali Khan.

Wan-Bhachran police shifted the bodies to the Mianwali DHQ Hospital and after medical examination handed them over to the respective families.

During the search of the vehicle, the local police found a bag containing around Rs1 million. The police handed over the money bag to the family of the singer.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2023