Around 35 Pakistani pilgrims died, and 15 others sustained serious injuries in a tragic accident in Yazd, Iran. The incident occurred when the bus, carrying 53 passengers, overturned and caught fire near the Taftan-Dehshir checkpoint.
According to Maulana Qamar Abbas Naqvi, a member of a peace committee in Larkana, 30 people died instantly, while five others succumbed to their injuries at the hospital. However, Iran’s Agency reported the death toll as 28, prompting the imposition of an emergency in hospitals across the city to treat the injured.
The bus, which was part of a convoy traveling from Larkana for the Arbaeen pilgrimage, met with the accident last night. The other bus in the convoy was delayed due to documentation issues and avoided the tragedy.
Details reveal that 10 of the passengers hailed from Khairpur, and six were from Kashmore. Syed Athar Shamsi, the convoy leader, confirmed that the ill-fated bus was one of two, each carrying around 52 passengers.
Maulana Shah Murad Sharifi, a Qom seminary student from Larkana, mentioned that most of the injured passengers are in critical condition, receiving treatment at a local government hospital. He added that the bus’s brakes might have failed, leading to the fatal accident.
In response to the tragedy, President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assist in bringing the bodies back to Pakistan. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and PTI leader Omar Ayub also extended their condolences and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured pilgrims.
