- At least 22 people were killed and one child was injured
- The van was traveling from Quetta to Zhob on the National Highway
- van plunged into a ditch from a narrow mountainous road of the Akhtarzai Adwala area of Qila Saifullah district
QUETTA: At least 22 people were killed and one child was injured after an ill-fated passenger van plunged into a ditch from a narrow mountainous road of the Akhtarzai Adwala area of Qila Saifullah district on Wednesday, BOL news channel reported.
The van was traveling from Quetta to Zhob on the National Highway. Fourteen dead bodies were shifted to District Head Quarters (DHQ) Hospital from the site of the incident by the rescue teams. The dead include five children, as many women, and 10 men.
Nine of the dead belong to the same family, including three women, five children, and a man.
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The district’s deputy commissioner, Hafiz Muhammad Qasim Kakkar, told BOL News that rescue crews were having difficulty retrieving the dead bodies because of the region’s deep ditch and narrow areas.
President of Pakistan Arif Alvi expressed grief over the horrific incident in the Qila Saifullah district. Through the official Twitter handle of the Office of the President, he condoled the heirs of the deceased.
صدر مملکت ڈاکٹر عارف علوی کا قلعہ سیف اللہ میں ٹریفک حادثے میں قیمتی جانوں کے ضیاع پر اظہار افسوس
صدر مملکت کی مرحومین کیلئے دعائےمغفرت، بلندی درجات کی دعا
صدرمملکت کا جاں بحق ہونے والوں کے اہل خانہ سے اظہار ہمدردی pic.twitter.com/LAK1uKWkoC
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) June 8, 2022
The president prayed for the quick recovery of the injured and prayed for forgiveness of those who died in the incident. He also stressed the need for safety measures to ensure such incidents did not repeat.
Chief Minister of Balochistan Abdul Quddus Bazinjo also expressed grief over the incident and prayed for forgiveness of the innocent souls.
“People who have been severely injured will be transported to Quetta for better medical care. A regional emergency has also been declared. Rescue teams are advised to complete the operation as early as possible,” the CM said.
“We pray to God to forgive the departed souls and give patience to the family of the deceased,” the chief minister said expressing condolences to the victims’ families.
