At least 28 Pakistani pilgrims, including 11 women of Shia sect, were killed and 23 others injured on Aug 20 night after their bus crashed in Iran’s Yazd city, according to Iran's state-owned IRNA news agency.
As per media reports, the bus overturned at the Dehshir-Taftan checkpoint in Yazd on Aug 20 night following which it caught fire.
“In pursuit of their religious journey, 28 Pakistani zaireen (pilgrims) laid down their lives last night in Yazd city in a bus accident. Another 23 are injured,” Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran, Mudassir Tipu, announced in a post on X.
The Pakistani pilgrims were en route to Iraq via Iran to attend the Arbaeen commemoration, which marks the 40th day of mourning for Imam Husain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad.
Yazd province’s crisis management chief said that 14 of the injured were in critical condition, IRNA news agency reported.
Six of the injured have been discharged from the hospital while the rest are receiving treatment at various facilities in Abarkuh, Taft, and Yazd, he said. “The dead consisted of 11 women and 17 men," the chief said.
The Yazd Governorate, in coordination with the Iranian foreign ministry, was arranging for an aircraft to transport the injured and deceased back to Pakistan
Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has directed the Consul of Pakistan in Zahidan to assess the situation on the ground.
“They will also coordinate with local authorities to provide medical relief to the injured and arrange repatriation of dead bodies to Pakistan, most of whom are residents of the Sindh province,” the statement added.
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