NAROWAL: Five cousins, including two brothers, died after their speeding car struck against a bus parked along the road near Lakhanpur Stop on Pasrur Road, Sialkot, on Tuesday.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Muhammad Waseem said the control room received an emergency call reporting the accident near Lakhanpur Stop.
According to the caller, the car crashed into the parked bus while attempting to avoid a rickshaw at a U-turn.
Rescue teams, including three ambulances and a rescue vehicle, rushed to the scene. The car had lost control and went underneath the bus.
District Emergency Officer Engineer Naveed Iqbal, along with a technical rescue team, supervised the operation.
Using specialised equipment, rescuers pulled the vehicle out and cut through its body to retrieve the victims, who were trapped inside.
The deceased were identified as Ayan Ijaz (14), Abdul Rehman (18), Rohan (16), Murtaza (17), and Haroon Waqas (15). All five sustained critical injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene.
Ayan Ijaz and Abdul Rehman, residents of village Wilay in Sialkot district, were brothers, while the others were their cousins.
According to family members, the victims had gone out for recreation on the third day of Eidul Fitr and were returning home around 11:45pm when the accident occurred. Local police also reached the site.
After completing legal formalities, Rescue 1122 shifted the bodies to Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital, Sialkot.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed grief over the incident and extended condolences to the bereaved family.
Engineer Naveed Iqbal said the accident was caused by speeding and underage driving, warning that reckless driving continues to result in loss of life and property. He urged citizens to strictly follow traffic rules.
Local residents, including Muhammad Adnan and Shafqat Ali, said underage drivers were freely driving motorcycles and cars during the Eid holidays, endangering lives, while authorities failed to take action.
Deputy Commissioner Saba Asghar Ali did not visit the bereaved family. An attempt was made to contact Sialkot District Police Officer Dost Muhammad, but no response was received.
The affected family and local residents staged a protest against what they described as the district administration’s negligence, demanding that the chief minister take immediate and strict notice of the situation.
Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2026
