- Shah Noorani shrine located in Balochistan’s Khuzdar district.
- Balochistan CM takes notice of the incident.
- Emergency imposed in Jam Ghulam Qadir Hospital, Hub.
HUB: At least 13 people were killed and 20 others injured when a truck carrying pilgrims to the Shah Noorani shrine fell into a ditch in Balochistan’s Hub district, a spokesperson of the Balochistan government told Geo News on Wednesday.
The truck carrying the pilgrims from Thatta had fallen in Hub district while en route to Shah Noorani shrine in Balochistan’s Khuzdar district.
The spokesman shared that the pilgrims were travelling to the Shah Noorani shrine from Karachi. Meanwhile, the police told Geo News that the pilgrims that were involved in the accident belonged to Thatta district in Sindh.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti taking notice of the incident directed the district administration to transfer the injured to the hospitals immediately.
The spokesperson of the provincial government shared that an emergency has been imposed in the Jam Ghulam Qadir Hospital Hub. He added that emergency instructions have been sent to the commissioners of Kalat and Hub.
The spokesperson also shared that the CM has asked the administration to contact the Sindh government to shift the critically injured to Karachi.
According to Balochistan Health Secretary Abdullah Khan the bodies of the five people killed and 16 of the injured have been shifted to the Jam Ghulam Qadir Hospital in Hub.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi taking note of the incident expressed his sympathy and condolences with the families affected by the incident. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
The Shah Noorani shrine is located in a remote mountainous region about 200km away from Karachi.
In December of last year, a bus carrying pilgrims caught fire on its way from Shah Noorani shrine in Balochistan’s Khuzdar to Karachi killing at least one passenger and injuring several others.
Back then the accident had also taken place in Hub district.
The accident had taken place near Lang Lohar near Sakran, Hub District, around 30 kilometres from the port city, as the vehicle’s engine heated up due to speeding and ignited flames.
The blaze burned the entire bus to ash before being doused.
Bus accidents are not uncommon in Pakistan, in November of 2023 a school bus fell into a ravine near the Shahdara area of Islamabad, killing a school teacher and injuring 20 passengers.
