By: SYED SHAHABUDDIN
A wedding turned tragic in Swat’s Kabal Tehsil on Tuesday when a van carrying wedding guests skidded off a mountain road and fell into a deep ravine in the Amlook Tal Shah Dherai area, killing two people and injuring more than 20 others. According to Waqar Ahmad, in-charge of Rescue 1122 Kabal station, 43-year-old Bilal Khan, a resident of Goda, and a minor girl named Khadeeja died on the spot.
More than 20 other passengers sustained injuries, including several women and children. The injured have been identified as Razia Bibi, wife of Muhammad Zada (40), from Mardan; Naseeba Bibi, daughter of Dawa Khan (24), from Attock; Nayab Bibi (17), from Mardan; Roshni Bibi, daughter of Ajmal (20), from Bara Bandai; Sudais, son of Sher Afzal (23); Faizullah, son of Abdul Qayum (32); Shazia Bibi, wife of Faizullah (25); their children Saman Bibi (4) and Hamdan (3); Adniya, daughter of Hazrat Ali (5); Arsalan, son of Umar Zada (5), from Sargodha; Jawad, son of Pervez (8), from Gondal Punjab; Adnan, son of Hazrat Ali (6); Tanveer, son of Pervez (5); Shayan, son of Sanz Ali (8), from Matta; and Inamullah, son of Muhammad Razi Khan (15), from Hazara, Kabal.
Rescue 1122 teams, along with local police, reached the scene shortly after the incident and began emergency response operations. The injured were given first aid on-site, while those with critical injuries were shifted to Saidu Sharif Central Hospital. Others were transported to the Deolai Hospital. A Rescue 1122 spokesperson said the swift response helped minimize further loss of life. The bodies of the deceased were handed over to their families after necessary legal procedures. Police have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident. However, initial reports suggest that overspeeding and possible brake failure may have led to the crash.
