At least 17 people were killed and 70 injured when a truck carrying pilgrims fell into a ravine in Balochistan’s Hub district on Wednesday night, rescue and police official said.
Initial reports put the death toll at 35 but it was revised by the police later. The bodies were moved to Edhi morgue in Karachi where 17 of them were identified while two bodies would be identified using DNA match.
Speaking to reporters outside the morgue, Sakro SDPO Wajid Ali said the driver was among the injured and had bee arrested.
According to police, the Darga Shah Noorani-bound truck fell into a ridge near Ayan Peer.
Police and locals said that more than 120 people were on board.
Rescue officials feared that the death toll could further rise. Sources said that more than 30 ambulances of Edhi reached the site of the accident. Police said that the pilgrims belonged to Thatta of Sindh.
Earlier, Manan Baloch, the Edhi Foundation’s Hub in-charge, said that the rescue operation to retrieve the bodies and injured concluded Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Munir Ahmed told AFP that the truck was overspeeding and went out of the driver’s control while negotiating a turn.
In a statement issued earlier today, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives, according to state-run Radio Pakistan.
