KARACHI: A fast-moving minibus ran over and killed three people, including a Pakistan Navy (PN) employee, at the Drigh Road underpass on Sharea Faisal on Monday, police said.

Speeding was cited as the main cause of the accident, while rainwater and mud accumulated on the road were considered contributing factors.

East SSP Dr Farrukh Raza said the route D-11 minibus struck two motorcycles at the underpass, causing serious injuries to four people, including two women. The injured persons were taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where doctors pronounced two men and one woman dead.

Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed the deceased were identified as Haris, 45, Mohammad Shoaib, 40, and Summaiya, 60.

Police arrest driver and register a manslaughter case against him

She said the fourth victim, Naila Shoaib, 30, was admitted for treatment.

Sharea Faisal SHO Iftikhar Arain told Dawn that Shoaib, his mother Seema and wife Naila were on their way home on a motorcycle in Shah Latif Town when the minibus hit them and another motorcyclist Haris.

He said Shoaib was a PN employee.

The officer said the police arrested the driver responsible for the accident, impounded the minibus and registered a case against him on the complaint of Shoaib’s father Mushtaq Ahmed, who is also a PN employee.

The police have invoked Sections 320 (punishment for qatl-i-khata by rash or negligent driving), 337-G (punishment for hurt by rash or negligent driving), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) and 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

As per the FIR, the tragic accident occurred because of negligent and careless driving of the minibus driver.

Underpass closed after accident

Later, according to a traffic police spokesperson, the Drigh Road underpass heading towards the airport was closed for traffic after the accident.

The Karachi Road Accident Analysis Team (Kraat) visited the scene and assessed the causes of the fatal incident.

A traffic police official said that according to the initial assessment, the accident occurred primarily due to over-speeding. He said the brakes of the minibus failed, which caused the vehicle to go out of the driver’s control and collide with the motorcyclists.

The official added that while there was a small amount of rainwater and mud at the site, it was not considered the primary cause of the incident.

It may be recalled that the underpass had remained closed to traffic for two days due to heavy rain and flooding. A traffic official said that water had accumulated up to 12 feet and was largely cleared on Monday.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2025