A bus accident in Iran has killed at least 28 Pakistani pilgrims, according to Iranian state media.
The incident occurred on Tuesday night in Yazd province, and initial police investigations suggest that a faulty braking system was the cause, as reported by Reuters.
The crash also left 23 others injured, with seven in critical condition, according to the province’s crisis management director.
The pilgrims, who were traveling from Pakistan’s Sindh province to Karbala in Iraq for a significant Shia religious event, were among 53 passengers on the bus, as noted by Pakistan’s Dawn News.
The fatalities included 11 women and 17 men, according to crisis management director Ali Malekzadeh.
The bus reportedly caught fire near the Dehshir-Taft checkpoint, approximately 681 km south of Tehran.
Mr. Malekzadeh attributed the accident to the driver losing control due to “unfamiliarity with the road, high speed, and technical problems.”
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari has mobilized the foreign ministry to repatriate the deceased and aid the injured, while Interior Minister Moshin Naqvi expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss.
Pakistan’s consulate in Iran is assisting with recovery efforts, and Ambassador Muhammad Mudassir Tipu is coordinating with Iranian authorities.
The pilgrims were traveling to observe Arbaeen, a significant event in the Shia calendar that marks 40 days of mourning for Imam Hussein, the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson, who died in the Battle of Karbala over a thousand years ago.
Last year, approximately 25 million people participated in the pilgrimage, making it the world’s largest annual religious gathering, far surpassing the 2.5 million pilgrims who attended the Hajj to Mecca in the same year.
Source-BBC
