- Police say vehicle went out of control and hit several people before stopping.
- SSP South says driver and two others have been taken into custody.
- Police seize vehicle and started investigation into incident.
KARACHI: At least 11 people were injured on Sunday night after a speeding car veered off the road and crashed into a tent set up for a religious gathering near Saba Avenue in DHA Phase 6, police said.
The vehicle, which appeared to have lost control, first struck several pedestrians before tearing through the canopy erected outside an imambargah, according to police officials at the scene.
Driver among three taken into custody
SSP South Mehzor Ali confirmed that the driver of the car, along with two others, had been taken into custody shortly after the incident. He said the toll of those hurt had risen through the evening, eventually reaching 11 as more victims were brought in for treatment.
Initial police accounts had put the number of injured at five, but this was later revised upward as the full scale of the accident became clear.
CCTV footage emerges
Security camera footage that surfaced soon after the crash showed the car entering the road at high speed before losing control. Timestamps on the video place the moment of impact at 9:26pm.
The footage shows the speeding vehicle first striking people walking along the road before careering into the tent of a religious gathering. Several bystanders can be seen scrambling to get out of the way as the car barrels through the makeshift structure.
Chief Minister takes notice
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah took notice of the accident and sought a detailed report from the Additional Inspector General of Police, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s House.
In his briefing, the CM was told that the vehicle’s brakes had apparently failed, leaving the driver unable to bring it under control before it ploughed into the gathering. The statement said a number of people had been hurt when the car struck those present at the religious gathering.
CM Shah directed the AIG to ensure the vehicle was impounded and the driver arrested without delay, and called for a comprehensive inquiry report to be submitted on the circumstances surrounding the crash.
He also extended his prayers for the speedy recovery of those injured, the statement added.
Police said that they had launched investigations into the exact cause of the accident, with officers working to determine whether mechanical failure or driver negligence was responsible for the crash.
