Couple sitting on footpath for Iftar killed by speeding car

Bystanders capture driver, subject him to beating before handing him over to police

By our correspondents
March 27, 2025
Representational image show a rescue worker waves to make way for an ambulance. — Reuters/File
Representational image show a rescue worker waves to make way for an ambulance. — Reuters/File

A speeding car on Sharae Faisal ploughed into a man and his wife sitting on a footpath for Iftar on Wednesday, resulting in their immediate death.

The tragic accident occurred on Wednesday night near the PAF Base Faisal when a speeding Toyota Corolla lost control and hit the couple sitting on the footpath. Upon receiving information, police and rescue officials reached the scene and took the bodies to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.

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Meanwhile, bystanders captured the driver and subjected him to a beating before handing him over to the police. The accident also caused traffic disruptions in the area. The deceased were identified as 30-year-old Ayaz and 25-year-old Aqsa.

Eyewitnesses reported that the couple was sitting on the footpath for Iftar when the speeding car suddenly struck them. The victims were residents of Korangi’s Allahwala Town and were returning home from work. They had been married for four years. The woman was a teacher at a school in North Karachi, while her husband Ayaz worked at a factory near Sohrab Goth. According to the police, the driver Aniq Ayaz, son of Ayaz Imam, was travelling from Gulshan-e-Iqbal to Defence with his two friends at the time of the accident. No case has been registered while an investigation is underway.

Later to CJP

Muttahida Qaumi Movement–Pakistan (MQM-P) Deputy Parliamentary Leader in the Sindh Assembly Taha Ahmed Khan formally wrote on Wednesday to Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi, urging the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice of the alarming increase in fatal road accidents in Karachi.

In his letter, Khan highlighted that Karachi, Pakistan’s financial hub, is facing a severe road safety crisis due to government negligence. Since the beginning of 2025, at least 207 people have lost their lives, and 2,623 have been injured in traffic-related incidents.

He specifically referenced the tragic accident on March 24, 2025, at Malir Halt, where a man and his pregnant wife lost their lives in a devastating tanker collision. The impact was so severe that their baby was born on the spot but tragically passed away moments later on the road.

Khan expressed concern over the Sindh government’s failure to regulate heavy vehicle movement and enforce traffic laws. He noted that while the government has previously provided compensation for victims of incidents such as toxic liquor poisoning in Tando Muhammad Khan, it has not extended the same relief to the families of road accident victims in Karachi.

He urged the Supreme Court to direct the Sindh government to take immediate measures to improve road safety, regulate heavy vehicle movement, and ensure financial compensation for the families of victims who lost their lives in fatal road accidents.

He also called for the enforcement of strict traffic laws, including restricted movement of dumpers and heavy vehicles during peak hours, mandatory speed limits, designated routes for heavy vehicles, and accountability for transport companies operating unsafe vehicles.

Additionally, he stressed the need for improvements in Karachi’s road infrastructure, including proper street lighting, road safety measures, installation of speed cameras, stricter traffic enforcement, frequent vehicle fitness checks, and penalties for violations.

He further recommended strict legal action against reckless drivers and negligent officials to ensure accountability. Khan alleged that Karachi’s citizens are losing their lives due to the government’s negligence, and immediate action is necessary to prevent further tragedies.The MQM-P legislator urged the SC to intervene and ensure that the voices of Karachi’s road accident victims and their families are heard.

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