12 dead, 49 hurt as pickup falls into ravine in Chakwal

CHAKWAL: Twelve people were killed and 49 injured when an overloaded pickup crashed into a ravine here on Saturday, officials said.

The accident happened near the town of Kalar Kahar. The dead included women and children.

“The incident took place at Mattan village when an overloaded pickup carrying 65 passengers fell into a ravine,” said Imran Akhtar, an official at the rescue control room.

“At least 12 people have died and 49 were injured, including women and children,” according to another official.

The injured were taken to a nearby rural health center, he said, warning that the clinic was ill-equipped to deal with the dozens of casualties.

“The rural health center lacks facilities and I fear the death toll may rise,” he said. A local police official confirmed the incident and said some of the injured would be sent to other hospitals in Chakwal.

“The incident occurred due to overloading,” said Ashiq Hussain from the Lila police station. “Many patients are being shifted to other hospitals in Chakwal and nearby areas due to lack of space at the rural health center,” he said.

Police said that the overloaded Shahzore truck carrying passengers from Sargodha to Khara Sharif fell into a 250 feet deep ravine in Marden Qila village of Chakwal.

Police, rescuers and locals rushed to the spot, which is a mining area, and started rescue operations. Darkness created difficulties for the rescuers. Three children and four women were among the 16 people who died on the spot.

The injured and deceased were shifted to Lillah Hospital, Fauji Foundation and BHU Boochal where state of emergency was declared and paramedics started treating the patients, some of whom were critical.

The names and identities of the deceased and injured were yet to be ascertained.

The mini-truck with 65 people on board was heading toward Khara from Sargodha Road, at around 8:30 pm when it plunged into the ravine.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, MQM Rabita Committee and PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have expressed deep sense of sorrow and grief over the loss of precious human lives in a road accident near Chakwal. The Punjab chief minister directed the district administration to provide good treatment facilities to the injured and prayed for their early recovery.