A tragic accident on Karachi’s main Sharea Faisal road claimed the lives of a man and his pregnant wife when a water tanker collided with them on Monday, according to police and hospital officials.
The incident in which a water tanker collided with a motorcycle in the Malir Halt area of #Karachi, resulting in the tragic death of a pregnant woman, her husband, and their newborn child, is a heartbreaking tragedy that is nothing short of a catastrophe
Altaf Hussain.“I am… pic.twitter.com/K2u5WQrpYW
— Altaf Hussain (@AltafHussain_90) March 25, 2025
Karachi Traffic Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Pir Mohammed Shah told Dawn.com that the tanker, traveling from Model Colony towards Sharea Faisal, failed to make a left turn. He explained that cement barriers had recently been placed at the location, but the driver, unable to stop due to brake failure, crashed through them.
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The vehicle veered onto the opposite side of the road, striking the motorcycle-riding family. “As a result, the couple and their newborn baby lost their lives,” DIG Shah stated. He added that traffic police at the scene apprehended the driver and seized the tanker, handing them over to the authorities for further investigation.
Korangi Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mohammed Tariq Nawaz confirmed that the full-term pregnant woman gave birth following the accident, but the newborn did not survive. He mentioned that the husband had been taking his wife to a hospital for a medical checkup when the incident occurred.
According to police surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) received the bodies of the couple, identified as 25-year-old Abdul Qayum and 19-year-old Zainab, along with their newborn baby boy. Dr. Summaiya noted that while the mother sustained severe injuries, the infant’s body showed no visible wounds.
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In a separate incident, another man, 32-year-old Asif, was fatally struck by a heavy vehicle in Quaidabad, with his body also brought to JPMC for legal formalities.
Karachi has witnessed a sharp rise in road accidents, with nearly 500 fatalities and 4,879 injuries recorded in 2024 alone. Factors contributing to these incidents include reckless driving and ongoing construction activities, according to hospital data.
Amid mounting public concern over deadly accidents involving dumpers and tankers, new regulations have been introduced to restrict the movement of heavy vehicles. Last month, the provincial government imposed a daytime entry ban on heavy vehicles, allowing them to operate only between 11 PM and 6 AM. Additionally, all heavy vehicles in Karachi are now required to obtain a physical fitness certificate.
Human rights activists and civil society members have condemned the increasing number of fatal road accidents, criticizing the poor enforcement of traffic laws. They argue that the failure to ensure road safety constitutes a violation of fundamental human rights, which the state has a duty to protect.