As many as 55 people were killed in a range of incidents over the Eidul Azha holidays across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to a press release from Rescue 1122.
Rescue 1122 said that the 55 deaths were a result of various incidents, including road traffic accidents, fire outbreaks, drowning incidents, and firearm-related cases, adding that the injured were promptly transported to hospitals for treatment.
“To safeguard the influx of tourists and local communities, special medical camps were established at major tourist destinations, while dedicated water rescue teams were deployed at rivers and dams throughout the province,” the statement read, quoting Rescue 1122 KP spokesperson Bilal Ahmad Faizi.
A Rescue 1122 report seen by Dawn.com breaks down the fatalities as follows:
- Mardan: 14
- Peshawar: 13
- Haripur: 6
- Nowshera, Hangu and Kurram: 3 each
- Dera Ismail Khan, Abbottabad, Bannu, Buner and Battagram: 2 each
- Torghar, Kohat and Khyber: 1 each
According to Rescue 1122 Director General Shah Fahad, 1,400 of the incidents reported were medical emergencies, 349 were road traffic accidents, 112 were fire-related incidents, 82 were recovery operations, 50 were crime-related emergencies and six were drownings.
“Peshawar alone witnessed 418 emergency responses, resulting in the safe transfer of 431 patients to medical facilities,” the statement added. “The incidents comprised 43 traffic accidents, 338 medical emergencies, 20 fire incidents, eight firearm injuries, and 11 recovery operations.”
Yesterday, a search operation was launched after two girls fell from a makeshift bridge over the Gwaldai River in the Shahi Banda area of KP’s Upper Dir district and went missing, police said.
Zaman Shah, a sub-divisional police officer, told Dawn.com that two young girls — namely 15-year-old Samira Bibi and 12-year-old Javeria Bibi — were crossing the Gwaldai river when they fell into it and were feared to have drowned.
The official said the incident occurred within the limits of Shahi Doba’s Patrak police station, adding that the flow of water had increased recently due to glaciers melting.
Last Saturday, a gas cylinder explosion killed six people and injured two others in Mardan, according to police and rescue officials.
Mardan District Police Officer Zahoor Babar Afridi confirmed the casualties and told Dawn.com, “The explosion was caused by a gas cylinder.”
Faizi said that a cylinder explosion in Mardan’s Aram Colony caused the roof of a two-story house to collapse. He said, “Six people were killed and two girls were seriously injured in the accident.”