KARACHI: Twelve people were killed and six others were injured in a traffic accident involving an oil tanker and a passenger bus on the M9 Motorway at Ansari Bridge near DHA City, according to officials.
Police and Rescue 1122 had initially stated that 13 people were killed and nine were injured. Later, however, Police Surgeon Summaiya Syed confirmed to Dawn that 12 people had been killed and six were injured.
After the accident, a significant quantity of oil spread on the M9 Motorway, causing difficulties for rescue workers who avoided using electrical equipment for fear of fire. As a result, they had to manually cut apart the vehicles to retrieve the bodies of the injured.
It is worth mentioning that authorities gave different reasons for the traffic accident. While Malir police attributed it to the bus travelling in the wrong direction, motorway police said that the tyre of the oil tanker had burst.
Malir Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dr Abdul Khaliq Pirzada told Dawn that 13 people had died in the accident and nine others were injured. He said that the initial investigation showed that the oil tanker was on its way to Karachi, while the passenger bus was Sanghar-bound.
He said that the bus was coming from the wrong direction, which led to the accident. He said that as a result, the oil tanker overturned and fell onto the van.
The police official said that the rescue operation had been completed; however, combustible material was being removed from the oil tanker.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan told Dawn that four vehicles were involved in the fatal accident: an oil tanker, a passenger bus, a passenger van and a trailer carrying goods. He also corroborated the SSP’s statement regarding the passenger bus travelling in the wrong direction.
However, Motorway police, in a statement, said the accident was caused by the oil tanker’s tyre bursting. The statement also confirmed the four vehicles were involved in the accident.
In this connection, Communication Minister Abdul Aleem Khan took notice of the accident and directed the Motorways inspector general to conduct an immediate investigation and submit a detailed report.
In a statement, he said that the tyre quality of every vehicle — large or small — entering the motorway must be strictly inspected. He categorically instructed that vehicles equipped with expired or substandard tyres must not be allowed onto the motorway under any circumstances.
Sindh CM orders inquiry
Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed regret over the lives lost in the incident and ordered an inquiry to ascertain the cause of the accident.
In a statement, he vowed that action would be taken against those responsible. He also directed the strict implementation of traffic laws for the protection of citizens.
In a statement, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar expressed deep sorrow and grief over the accident. Lanjar directed authorities to ensure immediate and the best possible medical treatment for the injured.
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep sorrow and grief over the accident, according to a statement by the President’s Secretariat.
“The president prayed for the forgiveness of those who lost their lives in the incident and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” it said.
It further added that President Zardari also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and directed the Sindh government to ensure the provision of immediate and best possible medical treatment to those wounded in the accident.
