On Monday, seven laborers working at the Diamer Bhasha Dam were killed and one was critically injured when their vehicle plunged into a ravine near the Karakoram Highway, according to police.
The Diamer Police Control Room reported that the eight workers were traveling in a Mazda vehicle when it lost control and fell into the ravine.
Shoukat Riaz, in charge of Diamer Rescue 1122, stated that five workers died at the scene, while the remaining three were injured. Two of those injured later succumbed to their injuries. “Diamer Rescue dispatched every mortuary vehicle and ambulance available,” Riaz added.
A list from RHQ Hospital Chilas, shared with Dawn.com, identified the deceased as Yousuf, Ehsanullah, Muhibullah, Sajjad, a Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) employee named Sajjad, and Mujeebullah. The injured worker was identified as Ibadullah.
Road accidents are common in Pakistan, where traffic regulations and safety measures are often disregarded, particularly on deteriorating roads in mountainous areas.
In May, a similar incident occurred when a passenger bus overturned on the Karakoram Highway in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer district, resulting in 20 deaths and 21 injuries. The bus, belonging to a private company, was traveling from Rawalpindi to Gilgit when the driver lost control near Gunar Farm. Initially, 35 passengers were injured, but many later died from their injuries at Chilas Hospital. Government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq reported that among the deceased were three women, and the bus had a total of 43 passengers.
