Special plane brings bodies of Pakistani pilgrims to Jacobabad

The bodies of the Pakistani pilgrims who lost their lives in the unfortunate bus accident in Iran's Yazd city have been repatriated via a special flight.

As many as 28 Pakistanis were killed when a bus carrying pilgrims participating in Arbaeen crashed into a wall and overturned due to speeding and brake failure near the Taftan-Dehshir checkpoint.

Several others were injured as the vehicle caught fire after the accident.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had ordered the repatriation of Pakistani pilgrims via a special fight. The special flight carrying the bodies of the deceased pilgrims landed in Jacobabad around 11pm on Friday. On the instructions of the PM, more than 50 ambulances were present when the dead and injured arrived at the Jacobabad Airbase through the special plane. Deputy PM Ishaq Dar oversaw the operation.

Before the aircraft took off in Yazd, a special condolence ceremony to honour the deceased was held at the airport.

Compensation

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has announced Rs5 million in compensation for each of the families of those who tragically lost their lives in the recent road accident in Iran, along with Rs1 million each for those who were injured in the incident.

As many as 28 people lost their lives and 25 others were injured when the bus boarded by pilgrims from different towns of Sindh met a fatal accident in Iran earlier in the week.

A statement issued by the CM House on Friday said Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had given instructions to the Sindh chief minister to announce compensation for the families of those who lost their lives and those who sustained injuries in the road accident in Iran.

Of the 28 pilgrims who died in the road accident, 10 were from Larkana, six from Kashmore, four from Khairpur, three each from Kamber-Shahdadkot and Karachi, and one each from Dadu and Jamshoro. Among those who were injured, eight were from Larkana, five from Kamber-Shahdadkot, four each from Naushehro Feroz, Shikarpur, Karachi, Khairpur and Sehwan, three from Dadu and one from Balochistan.

The Sindh CM sent Energy Minister Nasir Shah to Sukkur and Jacobabad airports to finalise the arrangements and receive the bodies to shift them to their respective hometowns.