“In pursuit of their religious journey, 28 Pakistani zaireen laid down their lives last night in Yazd city in a bus accident. Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran, Mudassir Tipu, announced that another 23 individuals sustained injuries.
According to Iran’s Mehr Agency, the bus overturned at the Dehshir-Taftan checkpoint in Yazd on Tuesday night and then caught fire.
Over 16,000 Pakistani pilgrims entered Iran to travel to Iraq for the Arbaeen commemoration, marking the 40th day of mourning for Imam Husain, the grandson of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
Iran’s state-owned IRNA news agency quoted Ali Malekzadeh, Yazd province’s crisis management chief, as saying that 14 of the injured were in critical condition. Bus accident in Iran kills at least 28 Pakistani pilgrims, injures 23.
Six of the injured patients have discharged from the hospital, while the remaining individuals are receiving treatment at various facilities in Abarkuh, Taft, and Yazd, he said
“The dead consisted of 11 women and 17 men,” Malekzadeh added.
He said that the Yazd Governorate, in coordination with the Iranian foreign ministry, was arranging for an aircraft to transport the injured and deceased back to Pakistan.
Head of Iran traffic police, Teymour Hosseini, cited “technical failure in the brake system” and the “high inclination of the road”
Crisis body activated to repatriate deceased: Mofa
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa) said it has activated its Crisis Management Unit to facilitate the repatriation of the deceased in the accident.
“We express our heartfelt condolences to Pakistani pilgrims who lost their lives in a tragic road accident in the Yazd city in Iran,” Mofa said in a press release.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar instructed the Consul of Pakistan in Zahidan to reach the accident site and assess the situation on the ground. The Consul will also coordinate with local authorities to provide medical relief to the injured and arrange the repatriation of deceased bodies to Pakistan, most of whom reside in Sindh province.
“Ambassador of Pakistan in Tehran and our Consul in Zahidan are in contact with the Iranian authorities in Tehran and Zahidan to expedite the recovery . Bus accident in Iran kills at least 28 Pakistani pilgrims, injures 23.