- Nine children among dead were traveling to Soon Valley from Bannu
KHUSHAB: As many as 14 members of the same family, including nine children died, and 12 others sustained injuries after a passenger van fell into a ditch on Panj Pir Manawan Road in Khushab district on Saturday.
According to rescuers and police, the passengers were on their way to Soon Valley from Bannu for work.
The rescuers said the circumstantial evidence suggested that the accident occurred due to brake failure. “The van fell into a ditch after its brakes failed,” they suspected.
The rescue personnel reached the site of the accident and started providing medical aid.
All those who lost their lives and sustained injuries in the accident belonged to the same family.
Seven of the 14 deceased persons were identified as 14-year-old Ishaq, 14-year-old Omar, 45-year-old Rahim, 40-year-old Muhammad Khan, seven-year-old Aleesha, eight-year-old Ghazala and five-year-old Gul Rahim whereas identity of the others is yet to be ascertained.
Rescue personnel provided onsite medical aid to four people with minor injuries. The other eight with critical injuries were shifted to THQ Hospital Naushera.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed grief and sorrows over the gruesome accident and sympathised with the bereaved family. She prayed for eternal peace and rest of the deceased persons and early recovery of the injured.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi expressed grief over the accident and extended his condolences to the families of the deceased.
He prayed for the early recovery of the injured.
