MULTAN, April 22: Five children of a family drowned when a small boat they were riding capsized in a lake at Mouza Haji Gharbi, some 20km from Dera Ghazi Khan, on Thursday.

Police said farmer Allah Bachaya, along with his wife and five children, was returning home by a boat after finishing work in their fields.

The boat capsized in the middle of the lake when it lost its balance reportedly due to the movement of the children. As a result, all the children were drowned while their parents swam themselves to the bank of the lake.

Receiving information, a number of villagers rushed to the spot but could only manage to fish out the bodies of the children from the lake. The deceased children were identified as Riaz (11), Hasnain (3), Shahida Mai (7), Zahida Mai (5) and Hajra (12), cousin of the children.

Later, relevant police said it was like a temporary lake, some five kilometres away from the Indus river and two kilometres south of Kot Chutta Bypass. The locals call it as 'Dhand' which fills with water during the summer season. -APP