THATTA: A weekend outing turned into a devastating tragedy for a group of picnickers from Orangi Town, as six individuals, including five friends and a bus conductor, lost their lives in a fatal bus accident near Thatta Bypass on Sunday morning.
The group, mostly members of Jamaat-e-Islami and their families, had set off around 2:30 am for a picnic at Keenjhar Lake. However, the trip ended in disaster when the bus veered off the road and plunged into a ravine near Thatta Bypass. The accident was reported around 5 am, and families in Karachi were immediately alerted to the tragedy.
The victims were identified as Asad Noor, Abdul Rauf Rehmat Ali, Bishar Khan Fareed, Arbab Safdar Hussain, Muhammad Abrar Anwar, and bus conductor Ihsanullah. Asad and Abdul Rauf were cousins, and the bus conductor, Ihsanullah, worked for the company. The injured, including UC 4 Orangi Chairman Ata-ur-Rabbi and Vice Chairman Karamat Ali, were treated at a local hospital and later discharged.
The bodies of the deceased were initially taken to the Alkhidmat mortuary in Orangi Town, with Ihsanullah’s body being handed directly to his family. The other victims’ remains were moved to Edhi’s cold storage in Sohrab Goth before being returned to their families for funeral rites.
Funeral prayers for Asad and Abdul Rauf were offered at Arkan Ground in Sector 12, followed by burial in the Sector 14 graveyard. Bishar Khan’s funeral was held at a mosque near Brohi Hotel, while Arbab’s prayers took place at Jamia Waheediya in Sector 8/5. All six victims were laid to rest in Sector 14 cemeteries.
The accident has drawn widespread condolences. MQM Pakistan senior leader MNA Syed Amin ul Haq expressed sorrow over the deaths and urged the government to provide full medical treatment to the injured. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah also expressed his condolences, directing the DC Thatta to provide immediate medical aid to the injured and make contact with the families of the victims.
In a separate incident on the Gambat National Highway, a bus overturned in Khairpur district, killing one person and critically injuring several others, including women and children. The bus, traveling from Karachi to Swabi, lost control, flipping over and causing the fatalities. Rescue teams rushed to the scene, with many of the critically injured being transported to nearby hospitals.
