KARACHI, Apr 11 (APP): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has expressed deep sorrow and condolences over the tragic incident of the Hub Road accident in which 17 people, including two children, lost their lives.

He has also promised to compensate the families of the victims who passed away in the accident.

On Thursday, he spoke to the media after visiting the Trauma Centre in Karachi to inquire about the health of those injured in a road accident. Later, he offered Namaz-e-Jinaza for 15 out of the 17 victims of the accident at Qasim Jokhio Goth in Thatta.

Shah told the media that as per initial reports, over 80 labourers working on the Crushing Plant and their children after visiting Shah Noorani were on the way back when their truck fell into a trench which claimed 17 lives and injured 52. “They were on board in three or four vehicles but boarded in an unfortunate truck when their vehicles went out of order on the way which met the fatal accident,” he said.

The CM said that 50 injured were provided medical treatment at the Trauma Centre and two children at NICH, of them 40 have been discharged while 12, including two children, were under treatment. He added that out of 12 injured being treated at the Trauma Centre five were on ventilators and some other injured of the same group were under treatment at the Hub hospital.

Murad Shah said that just after receiving the information of the tragic incident, he put the Karachi administration on high alert. Secretary Health and Commissioner Karachi made necessary arrangements at the Trauma Center and called back doctors and para-medical staff from the Eid holiday to treat the patient. He added that some of the patients needed blood which was also arranged by the administration.

Shah said there was a procedure of his government that the person who lost his/her life was given Rs100,000 compensation from life insurance. “But, I am exploring ways and means to financially compensate the families of the road accident victims,” he said and added he has directed his party MNA, MPAs and minister of the area to help the families of those who were bread earners.

In response to a question about law and order in Thatta, the chief minister stated that the situation worsened due to a major reshuffle in the police department by the caretaker government during the general election. This reshuffle affected the entire policing system, from Additional IGs to SHOs. However, the government is taking strict measures to improve the overall law and order situation, including in Karachi, rural areas, and particularly in the Katcha area.

The PPP government had improved law and order all over Sindh in the past, and the current government is committed to ensuring the same.

Murad Shah said that his newly established government has been successful in neutralising several dacoits in the Katcha area. Many bandits have also been arrested in injured condition.

He further stated that the police and rangers were conducting a joint operation against the dacoits in the Katcha area of Kashmore. Additionally, a significant number of street criminals have been arrested during the targeted operations in Karachi.

The CM also mentioned that in 2008, when there was no PPP government in Sindh, Karachi was ranked as the 7th most dangerous city in the world by the International Crime Index. ”But we restored law and order after coming into power and when we left the government in 2023, the same city of Karachi had improved its ranking and was ranked 128th on the same Index,” he said and he further stated that he has taken it as a challenge to ensure law and order is maintained to protect the life, liberty, and property of the citizens.

He said that the road accident has caused him profound grief and sorrow, therefore just after visiting the injured at the Trauma Center Karachi he reached Qasim Jokhio Goth to offer Namaz-e-Jinaza of the victims and offered condolence with their families.

Those who lost their lives in the road accident include Khurram, 30, Din Mohammad, 25, Piroo, 25, Mushtaq, 20, Abdul Wahid, 30, Allah Perayo, 40, Amin, 28, Muheb Ali, 25, Sohrab, 22, Gulzar, 30, Imamuddin, 30, Jalal, 15, Ghulam nabi, 35, Ali, 19, Sahib Dino, 55, and two unidentified who were 15 and 25 years old.