Water tanker kills man, pregnant wife

A speeding water tanker killed three members of a family in the Malir Halt area on Monday, adding to the growing concern over road safety in Karachi, where 214 people have lost their lives in traffic accidents in less than three months, including 68 fatalities caused by heavy vehicles.

Abdul Qayyum, 26, was taking his pregnant wife Zainab, 24, to the hospital for a check-up when the tanker hit their motorbike. The accident not only resulted in the couple’s death but also in the premature delivery of their child, who died within minutes as well.

According to the victims’ relatives, Qayyum was a government employee at the Cantonment Board. The grieving family said the ill-fated couple, residents of Natha Khan, never got the chance to see their child.

Following the accident, bystanders attempted to set the tanker on fire, but police intervened and impounded the vehicle. Korangi SSP Tariq Nawaz said both the driver and the helper were arrested.