At least 14 people including women were injured as a speeding rammed into a tent set up for mourners outside an imambargah in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA), police and rescue officials said on Monday.
As per police, a Suzuki pick-up, apparently out of control, crashed into a tent set up outside Masjid-o-Imam Bargah Baqiyatullah on Saba Avenue in Phase VI, during a majlis. The collision left several mourners injured and caused panic at the scene.
Police immediately arrived at the scene and detained the driver along with two other occupants of the vehicle.
During initial questioning, the driver claimed the accident occurred due to brake failure. However, police said investigations were ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident.
The injured were shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for treatment. Among those identified were Shazia, Maheem Akram, Mehnaz Shahbaz, Zunaira Akram, five-year-old Iman, Mumtaz Zafar, Kausar Perween, Shaherbano, Irshah Bibi, Ayat Majid and Sumaira Tariq.
Videos shared on social media showed injured individuals lying on the road as mourners called for ambulances.
Panic intensified after an unidentified person in one video warned of a possible bomb inside the vehicle, prompting people to flee the area.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah ordered a thorough investigation into the incident. He directed Karachi police to determine whether the crash was caused by brake failure or any other factor and instructed authorities to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured.
