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16 Devotees Killed, 45 Injured in Tragic Road Accidents En Route to Sehwan
Two accidents en route to Sehwan claim 16 lives, injure 45, as devotees travel for Lal Shahbaz Qalandar’s urs. Speeding, overtaking, and negligence remain deadly on Pakistan’s highways.
ND
by News Desk
2025-02-15
16 Devotees Killed, 45 Injured in Tragic Road Accidents En Route to Sehwan

At least 16 passengers lost their lives and 45 sustained injuries in two separate traffic accidents on Saturday as devotees traveled to Sehwan for the annual urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.

The first accident occurred near Qazi Ahmed town in Shaheed Benazirabad district, where a van carrying devotees collided with a trailer, leaving five dead and 10 injured. The second incident happened near Ranipur in Khairpur district, where 11 passengers died and 35 were injured after a bus collided with a rickshaw.

Qazi Ahmed Accident
Qazi Ahmed Station House Officer (SHO) Waseem Mirza confirmed the fatalities and said the accident occurred on Amri Road. "The speeding van first hit a donkey cart and then collided with an oncoming trailer," SHO Mirza explained.

Rescue teams rushed to the scene, transporting the injured to Qazi Ahmed Taluka Hospital. However, some critically wounded were referred to the Peoples University of Medical & Health Sciences in Nawabshah, where three were pronounced dead on arrival.

Ranipur Accident
In the second incident, a bus traveling from Burewala collided with a rickshaw on the National Highway near Ranipur. Khairpur Deputy Commissioner Ahmed Fawad Shah stated, "The driver possibly tried to save the rickshaw, causing the bus to overturn."

The accident left 11 passengers dead and 35 others injured. The victims were shifted to Rural Health Centres in Hingorja and Ranipur, as well as the Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Khairpur.

SSP Khairpur Tauheed Memon confirmed that all victims were from Burewala and were headed to Sehwan for the urs. "We are coordinating with Vehari district authorities to facilitate the transport of the injured and deceased back to their hometown," he added.

Annual Urs and Dangerous Highways
The annual urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, scheduled to begin on February 19, attracts thousands of devotees to Sehwan every year. The Sindh government has declared a public holiday for the event, which marks the 18th of Shaban on the Islamic calendar.

However, the pilgrimage is often marred by road accidents, largely due to speeding, reckless overtaking, and poor enforcement of traffic laws.

According to reports, 115 people were killed and 317 injured in 97 accidents along the incomplete Indus Highway section between Jamshoro and Sehwan over the last four years. Just a day before these incidents, five people died near Jamshoro’s Sann town in a head-on collision caused by a vehicle driving on the wrong side.

Need for Urgent Action
These repeated tragedies highlight the urgent need for better highway maintenance, stricter enforcement of traffic regulations, and greater public awareness about road safety.

 
Tagged:

RoadSafety

SehwanAccident

LalShahbazQalandar

HighwaySafety
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