A total of seven people died while several were injured in five separate traffic accidents across Karachi since yesterday, police and rescue officials said on Friday.

The city has lately witnessed a rise in traffic accidents, especially involving heavy vehicles, including dumpers and water tankers, which killed nearly 500 people and injured 4,879 in 2024, according to hospital data.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Traffic Police Pir Mohammed Shah told Dawn.com that a total of six people died while several were injured across the metropolis in four separate incidents.

Bin Qasim Town police Station House Officer Tahir Qadri also confirmed to Dawn.com regarding a fifth incident in which pillion riders were hit by the truck near Ghaghar Phatak.

“As a result, the rider identified as 30-year-old Sawab Khan died on the spot while 25-year-old Manzoor Khan was critically injured,” the SHO said.

He said the police have arrested the errant driver and seized the truck.

Speaking to Dawn.com separately, DIG Shah said,“ At 6:30am, a fatal road traffic accident occurred on Link Road Kathore towards the National Highway near Samandari Baba.“

He said a passenger bus bearing registration number LES-1244, while travelling along the route, veered off the roadway and overturned.

According to preliminary findings, the driver of the bus had fallen asleep while driving, causing the vehicle to drift off the road and subsequently overturn.

“The incident occurred without direct interaction with any other vehicle at the time of the crash,” DIG said.

The accident tragically resulted in the death of three individuals, who have been identified as 59-year-old Abdul Ghafoor, 25-year-old Ghulam Fareed, and 35-year-old Kausar Saeed.

The body of the deceased was moved to the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre (JPMC).

Furthermore, approximately 15 to 20 passengers sustained injuries, DIG Shah said.

He added that KRAAT’s (Karachi Road Accident Analysis Team) preliminary investigation indicated that the primary cause of the accident was driver fatigue, leading to the driver falling asleep at the wheel.

Talking about a separate incident in the Korangi area, DIG Shah said that at around 10:10am, a loaded water tanker driven by an unknown driver was “reportedly being operated in a reckless and negligent manner”.

While driving, the tanker suddenly struck a motorcycle, resulting in injuries to 52-year-old Mushtaq and his wife, 48-year-old Rehana, DIG Shah said.

They were shifted to the JPMC, where unfortunately, the wife expired while the condition of her husband was stated to be out of danger, he said.

DIG Shah said that following the incident, an angry mob gathered at the site and set the water tanker on fire, adding that the unknown driver of the water tanker fled the scene and was not apprehended yet.

“Initially, it appears that the primary cause of the accident is attributable to the reckless and negligent driving of the water tanker’s unknown driver,” said the city traffic police chief.

Rescue-1122 spokesperson Hassaan Khan told Dawn.com that the tanker was badly damaged in the fire.

However, upon preliminary technical assessment of the incident, it has also been noted that contributory negligence was on the part of the motorcycle rider.

“The motorcycle overtook the water tanker from its left side, which is generally considered the blind spot of such heavy vehicles,” the DIG said.

“Furthermore, the motorcycle rider was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, which could have contributed to the severity of the injuries.”

“It is also important to highlight that the water tanker was not equipped with mandatory side under-run protection (side safeguard), which is necessary to prevent smaller vehicles or pedestrians from falling under the wheels,” he added.

Heavy vehicles lacking such safeguards should not be permitted to operate on roads, suggested the metropolis traffic head.

In the third accident of the day, a young man was killed in a hit-and-run incident on the Superhighway, DIG Shah said.

He said that at around 2:30am, a fatal traffic accident occurred on highway towards Hyderabad near Chakar Hotel.

He said the victim, identified as 30-year-old Allah Bux, was getting off a rickshaw when he was struck by a vehicle bearing registration number BH-3238.

“The driver of the vehicle, who remains unidentified at this stage, collided with the pedestrian with considerable force, inflicting critical injuries that resulted in the victim’s death shortly thereafter,” he said.

The deceased was promptly moved to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities. Following the collision, the involved vehicle, along with the unknown driver, fled the scene, the DIG said.

He said their expert team observed that there are multiple open gaps in the road dividers along this section of the highway.

The traffic police chief said these gaps are frequently used by pedestrians and motorcyclists to cross onto the opposite carriageway, which significantly increases the risk of accidents, adding that it was strongly recommended that these gaps be permanently closed to prevent such hazardous crossings.

Separately, a passenger died yesterday when a vehicle hit a stationary trailer on MM Alam Road in the Malir Cantonment area.

DIG Shah said that last night, a trailer vehicle was stationary in a broken-down condition on the fast track of the MM Alam road.

Consequently, a vehicle collided with the stationary trailer from behind and, as a result, the right side of the vehicle was severely damaged, and a passenger, Muhammad Hanif, sustained serious injuries.

The injured was immediately moved to JPMC via Edhi ambulance for medical treatment. However, despite medical efforts, Muhammad Hanif succumbed to his injuries.

Preliminary inspection revealed that no vehicle-related documents, such as a fitness certificate or transport permit, have been found for the trailer.

Additionally, the driver, upon being issued a traffic violation challan (token challan) by the traffic officer, could not produce an original driving license and was only in possession of a photocopy of the license.

In pursuance of the continued efforts of the provincial government to control the menace of accidents in Karachi, the city administration extended the complete ban imposed on heavy vehicles in the city during daytime for another two months.

A total of nine dumpers and water tankers were set on fire by angry mobs last month near the main road leading to 4-K Chowrangi after a heavy vehicle hit a bike rider, injuring him in the North Karachi area.

An elderly man was killed in April after being run over by a water tanker, police and rescue officials said.

On Tuesday, an employee of the Pakistan Navy was killed while another was injured in Karachi’s Baldia after a 10-wheeler trailer hit them, police said.