QUETTA/GILGIT: Nine people, including five policemen, died and 12 others suffered injuries in road accidents in different areas of Balochistan during the last 48 hours, police said on Wednesday.

Officials said policemen were escorting the SSP Lasbela, who was travelling to Uthal from Hub, on Monday. When they entered the limits of Uthal a vehicle coming from the opposite direction hit the escort pick-up, killing five cops on the spot.

Confirming the deaths, police officials said two other constables received serious injuries. Police shifted the bodies and the injured to the district hospital. The wounded cops were sent to Karachi after initial treatment. The deceased were identified as Nadir, Mohammad Rafiq, Irfan Ronjha, Abdul Rasheed and Saleh Mohammad. Their bodies were handed over to their families after formalities. Police said the driver of the other vehicle fled the scene after the accident.

In another accident that took place at Zhob-D.I. Khan road, two people were killed and seven others injured when a pick-up overturned. The bodies and the injured were shifted to the district hospital Zhob.

Five of a family among six die in Gilgit-Baltistan accidents

Officials said two people were killed and three others injured in yet another accident at Quetta-Sibi highway. Some people were going on a picnic when their car overturned while taking a blind turn near the Gokurt area in the Bolan valley. The deceased were identified as Ravi Kumar and Mukash Kumar.

Five of a family die

Meanwhile, six people, including five members of a family, died in separate accidents apparently caused by brake failure of their vehicles in Naltar Valley of Gilgit and near Babusar Top in Diamer on Wednesday.

Five members of a family, including two children and two women, lost their lives and one received injuries when their car fell from Naltar Expressway, while a tourist was killed and several others injured when a car crashed into a shop near Babusar top.

According to rescue officials, six family members of a family from Maharban Pura area of Gilgit were heading to Naltar in their car on the third day of Eid when it fell from the hilly road while descending the expressway.

Mohammad Arif, 40, his wife, their two daughters and his mother-in-law died on the spot, while their relative Rizwan Ali sustained injuries, officials said, adding that the bodies and the injured were shifted to regional headquarters hospital in Gilgit.

The injured person is said to be in critical condition.

The accident was apparently caused by brake failure.

Meanwhile, rescue 1122 officials said that one tourist died and several others were injured when a car crashed into a shop at Thak area of Diamer near Babusar Top, apparently due to a brake failure.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2024