Aaj Logo

Updated 24 Aug, 2024 12:07am

Remains of 28 Pakistanis killed in Iran accident repatriated

The remains of 28 Pakistanis who lost their lives in the Iran accident were repatriated to Pakistan on Friday. A special aircraft carrying the bodies landed at the Shahbaz Airbase in Jacobabad.

State television, PTV News, showed ambulances at the airport as the C-130 plane carrying the bodies of the victims landed in Sindh city.

Sindh Minister for Planning, Development and Energy Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and heirs of the deceased were at the airbase.

At least 28 Pakistani pilgrims were killed and 23 others injured on Tuesday night when their bus crashed in Iran’s Yazd city.

The bus overturned at the Dehshir-Taftan checkpoint in Yazd on Tuesday night and then caught fire.

The Pakistani pilgrims were headed through Iran to Iraq to attend the Arbaeen commemoration, which marks the 40th day of mourning for Imam Husain, the grandson of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had ordered a C-130 aircraft to transport the bodies of the deceased pilgrims to Pakistan.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali has announced Rs5 million for the heirs of the deceased and Rs1 million for the wounded persons.

Earlier, Sindh Minister for Planning, Development and Energy Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the Sindh government had made all arrangements to shift the bodies to their native places.

“Over 40 Rescue 1122 ambulances are present at the Jacobabad airport,” he said and added that injured pilgrims were also being brought back on the C-130 aircraft and for that hospitals have been alerted.

He added that severely injured individuals would be transported to Karachi via air ambulance which also reached the Shahbaz airport.

According to Aaj News correspondent, eight out of the 28 deceased belonged to Khairpur and four have been identified. It was expected that bodies would be transported to the city by 3am and funeral prayers would be offered at 9am at a school.

Read Comments