Three Pakistani pilgrims killed, dozens injured in Iran Bus crash

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Monday, August 26th, 2024

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At least three Pakistani pilgrims lost their lives and 48 others sustained injuries when their bus collided with a truck in southern Iran, according to state media reports on Monday.

The pilgrims were en route to Iraq for the Arbaeen commemoration, marking the 40th day of mourning for Imam Husain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The crash occurred late Sunday on the road between Neyriz city in Fars province and Sirjan in Kerman province. The Iranian news agency IRNA reported the incident, attributing it to a “technical failure” in the bus’s brakes, which led to the driver losing control.

While IRNA confirmed the deaths of three individuals, Neyriz Governor Yaqub Khosrawani reported four fatalities and 30 injuries.

This tragic event marks the second deadly accident involving Pakistani pilgrims in less than a week. Previously, 28 pilgrims died in a crash in Yazd city, Iran, while on their way to Iraq for Arbaeen. The victims’ bodies were repatriated to Pakistan on Friday night.

Iran has a troubling road safety record, with over 20,000 fatalities reported in the year leading up to March 2024, according to the Iranian judiciary’s Legal Medicine Organisation.

The Arbaeen pilgrimage is a significant event, with 22 million participants last year. By August 19 this year, 25,000 Pakistani pilgrims had already entered Iran, heading towards Karbala in Iraq, where Imam Husain and his brother Abbas are buried.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in a post on X, lamenting the tragic incident.