A family trip to Murree turned into an unimaginable tragedy after a van caught fire near the Murree Expressway, killing 10 people, including five children from one Multan family.
WEBDESK – MEDIABITES – BBC URDU
A sightseeing trip from Multan to the hill station of Murree ended in heartbreak after a passenger van caught fire following an accident on the Murree Expressway, killing 10 people, including a woman, her five children, and mother-in-law from the same family.
The victims belonged to the family of Syed Kashif Ali, a fruit seller from Multan’s Sootri Watt neighborhood, who lost his entire immediate family in the devastating incident.
“My wife and children kept insisting that they wanted to see Murree,” Kashif Ali said while speaking to media after the tragedy. “I initially refused because of the expenses and because I was worried about sending the children so far away.”
According to Kashif, his wife eventually convinced him after relatives also planned the trip. His elderly mother later agreed to accompany the children, assuring him they would be safe.
The family had left Multan around 2 a.m. on June 10 in a convoy of three vehicles heading toward Murree. Women and children were seated in a rented Hiace van, while male relatives traveled separately.
According to National Highways and Motorway Police, the accident occurred near Khajot on the Murree Expressway when the van reportedly lost control while negotiating a turn and plunged into a roadside drain before catching fire.
Officials said the vehicle overturned in such a way that the doors became jammed, trapping passengers inside as flames rapidly spread through the van.
Authorities confirmed that 10 people, mostly children, died in the blaze, while more than a dozen others suffered burn injuries.
Kashif Ali lost his wife, mother, four sons, and one daughter in the fire.
“My whole world is gone,” he said. “For me, this is nothing less than doomsday.”
Police have registered a case against an unidentified driver under multiple sections related to negligent driving, manslaughter, and property damage. According to the FIR, the driver allegedly escaped from the burning vehicle after the crash.
Initial investigations suggest the accident may have been caused by driver fatigue after an overnight journey.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has sought a detailed report into the incident, while a three-member inquiry committee has been formed to investigate the causes of the tragedy, including the vehicle’s fitness condition and safety measures.
