By Imtiaz Hussain
SUKKUR: A C-130 plane transporting the bodies of Pakistani pilgrims who tragically died in a bus accident in Iran landed at Shahbaz Airbase, Jacobabad, on Friday. The victims’ Namaz-e-Janaza was conducted at Yazd airport in Iran before their remains were flown to Pakistan. Upon arrival, the Pakistan Rangers secured the Shahbaz Airbase, and the list of deceased and injured was handed over to the airbase commander.
Following security checks, ambulances were allowed onto the runway to receive the deceased. Two family members per deceased were permitted to collect their loved ones’ bodies. Sindh Minister for Planning, Development, and Energy, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Irfan Soomro, and relatives of the deceased were present at the airbase to receive the bodies. The Sindh government, following directives from PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, announced compensation of Rs. 5 million for each martyr and Rs. 1 million for each injured individual.
The deceased were transported from Jacobabad Airbase to their native places in ambulances provided by Edhi, Rescue 1122, and various hospitals, including those in Khairpur, Sukkur, Naushahro Feroze, Nawabshah, and Shikarpur. Additionally, severely injured individuals are being transported to Karachi via air ambulance. Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah expressed deep sorrow over the incident, stating that on the instructions of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, both the Pakistani ambassador in Iran and Iranian authorities were contacted to ensure proper measures were taken.
The Foreign Affairs Liaison Office released the names of the deceased, including Wafa Abbas Javed, Kashif Ali, Habib Ullah Soomro, Abdul Khaliq, Ali Haider, Sirat Abbas Shah, Naseem Akhtar, Azad, Ayaz Hussain, Muntazar Mehdi Khuhawar, Salman Mostafa, Rukhsana Parveen, Parveen Ghulam Sarwar Lanjar, Noor Muhammad Khoso, Salahuddin, Muhammad Soomro, Aafaque Ahmed, Muhammad Iqbal Junejo, Rustam Ali, Imran Ali Kalhoro, Waheed, Kamran Haider, Zaheer Abbas, Aijaz Ali Manganhar, Mohsin Junejo, Obaid Ali (Junejo), Zahid Ali Soomro, Tahir Ali Soomro, Salma Begum, Zarmina Qurban, Syeda Ambreen, Ghulam Abbas, Muhammad Bux Khaskheli, Noor Ullah, Asif Ali, Sadiya Azad, Wali Muhammad, Reema Jameel, Kainat Rustam Ali, Karima Khatoon, Rehmat Khatoon, and Jamshid Iqbal. This tragic event has brought to light the critical need for enhanced safety measures for pilgrims traveling abroad.
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