Tragedy hits family welcoming Hajjis
Two members of a family were killed and as many injured when a speeding dumper truck overturned onto their vehicle on Rashid Minhas Road in the early hours of Thursday.
The victims were part of a convoy heading to Jinnah International Terminal to welcome relatives returning from Hajj.
The deceased were identified by their family as 55-year-old Shaheena Naeem and her seven-year-old niece, Ayesha, daughter of Khurram Kareem. The injured included Khurram's wife, Anam, 30, and Khurram himself, who was driving the double-cabin pickup.
The victims, residents of ROC Cooperative Housing Society, Scheme 33, were en route to receive their uncle, Kashif Kareem, and his family, who had just performed Hajj.
Saud Khan, Shaheena's son, recounted the incident, saying that their convoy of four to five vehicles had stopped at the COD signal when a heavily loaded dumper truck, speeding recklessly, overtook from the left, lost control, and toppled onto their vehicle.
"The dumper crushed our car under its weight, burying it in sand and gravel. The driver fled immediately, leaving us helpless," Saud said, his voice trembling with grief and anger.
Family members and witnesses expressed severe frustration over the slow and disorganised rescue operation. Saud lamented that it took over three hours to extract the victims, with rescue workers forced to manually remove sand using shovels due to the absence of heavy machinery.
"There were no oxygen cylinders available-rescue teams claimed they had run out. We kept begging for help, but the administration's response was shameful," he said. By the time the crushed vehicle was finally pulled out with the help of cranes, Shaheena and young Ayesha had already succumbed to their injuries.
The tragedy has sparked outrage over the negligence of dumper truck drivers, who often flout traffic laws with impunity. Police confirmed that the driver escaped and remains unidentified, though witnesses alleged he appeared to be under the influence of drugs.
Traffic was severely disrupted for hours as officials struggled to clear the wreckage. Family members, overwhelmed by grief, reportedly clashed with media personnel at the scene, with one allegedly assaulting a cameraman.
This tragedy has also brought attention to Karachi's illegal sand and gravel trade. Despite Section 144 being imposed in Malir district to curb unauthorised extraction, trucks continue to operate at night, transporting material from Gadap, Memon Goth, and other areas.
Chhipa Foundation spokesperson Chaudhry Shahid confirmed the accident occurred around 3:15am, attributing it to the driver's reckless speeding. SHO Gadap City, police station Sarfraz reiterated that illegal mining persists despite the ban, raising questions about enforcement.
The funeral prayers for Ayesha were held in Buffer Zone, while Shaheena's took place in Liaquatabad. Both were laid to rest in the C-1 Area Graveyard.
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