PINDI BHATTIAN: Nineteen persons, including five women and children, sadly perished in a fire on the M-4 at the Pindi Bhattian Motorway Interchange, while 14 others were seriously injured.
On Sunday morning, a bus traveling between Karachi and Islamabad was involved in a collision with a pickup truck hauling diesel.
According to reports from witnesses, at around 4:15 a.m., a fire broke out inside bus number E-4750 as it was nearing the Pindi Bhattian Motorway Interchange. The fire was likely caused by a short circuit.
The driver lost control and smashed into the oncoming pickup, which was also on fire. Both cars went up in flames as the fire spread swiftly.
Highway patrol officers and emergency workers rushed to the scene of the accident.
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THQ Pindi Bhattian’s medical supervisor, Dr. Athar Majeed, has confirmed that the corpses of all 19 victims, including the two from the pickup vehicle, have been brought there.
Most of the hurt passengers, however, got out of the bus by shattering windows.
According to initial reports, 15 injured people were taken to THQ Hospital Pindi Bhattian, and three of them required further treatment at Allied Hospital Faisalabad due to the severity of their injuries. Unfortunately, while being treated in the Allied Hospital, one of the injured passed away from their wounds.
Caretaker Federal Minister Shahid Ashraf Tarar, Inspector General of the Motorway Police Sultan Ali Khawaja, Deputy Commissioner of Hafizabad Umar Farooq Warraich, and District Police Officer of Hafizabad Dr. Fahad Ahmad all went to the scene of the accident and the THQ Hospital Pindi Bhattian to check on the injured and offer their condolences to the families of those who died.
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During their visit, they instructed THQ’s medical superintendent to provide top-notch care to the injured at no cost to the government. The government officials expressed their condolences to the victims’ loved ones, as well.
Within hours of the catastrophe, IG of the Motorway Police Khawaja created an investigating committee to determine what caused it. Two other employees, including the M-4 patrolling officer, have been placed on administrative leave for their alleged carelessness.
According to the first findings of the highway patrol, the accident was caused by the bus driver’s carelessness.
The police and medical staff at THQ Hospital have not yet identified the remains, but they will use DNA testing to do so.
Twelve injured people were sent to THQ Hospital Pindi Bhattian, and their identities have been confirmed. Umar and Aalia Umar are from Faisalabad; Imdad is from Khairpur; Sajid, Sabir, and Nazir are from Karachi; Ubaira and Musfia are from Jalalpur Bhattian; Usman and Gulzar are from Multan; Imtiaz and Zeeshan are from somewhere else in Pakistan; and Usman and Gulzar are from the United States.
A passenger carriage caught fire in Pindi Bhattian, and caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has expressed his sadness and grief over the loss of life.
Naqvi has offered his deepest sorrow and sympathy to the loved ones of the victims. He has asked for a report on the occurrence from the administration and the police and has instructed them to get the injured the best care possible. He said that the government of Punjab shared the sorrow of the bereaved families.
