Bodies of 28 pilgrims killed in Iran bus crash brought home to Pakistan

KARACHI: Bodies of 28 pilgrims, who died in a traffic accident in Iran on their way to Iraq, were brought to the country via a special flight on Friday night.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has announced Rs5 million each as compensation for legal heirs of the deceased persons and Rs1m for injured victims of the Iran accident.

According to an official handout, the bodies of 28 pilgrims, who were killed earlier this week in a bus crash in Iran, and 15 of the 25 injured persons who were discharged from the hospitals, were repatriated to Pakistan.

Sukkur Mayor Arsalan Islam Shaikh told Dawn that a special C-130 aircraft brought the bodies at Shahbaz Airport in Jacobaabad.

Mr Shaikh, who is also the provincial government’s spokesperson, said that among the dead, 10 belonged to Larkana, three each hailed from Kamber-Shshdadkot and Karachi, six Kashmore, four Khairpur and one each from Dadu and Jamshoro.

Among the 25 wounded, eight belonged to Larkana, five Kamber-Shahdadkot, four Khairpur, three Dadu and one each from Naushahro Feroze, Shikarpur, Karachi, Sehwan and Jhal Magsi (Balochistan), he added.

The mayor said that the provincial government had made arrangements for the convenience of the bereaved families and over 40 Rescue 1122 ambulances were present at Jacobabad Airport.

He said that injured pilgrims would be moved to hospitals in their respective districts and the severely injured individuals would be transported to Karachi via air ambulance, which had also reached at Shahbaz Airport.

Earlier, funeral prayers for the 28 pilgrims were offered at Yazd Airport before their remains were flown to home, according to APP.

The funeral was attended by a representative of the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatullah Naseri, Yazd Governor Mehran Fatemi, Deputy Governor Abdul Husseni, Pakistan Ambassador to Iran Mudassir Tipu, and embassy officers.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2024