The bodies of 28 Pakistani pilgrims who died in a traffic accident in Iran on their way to Iraq were repatriated to Pakistan on a special flight Friday night.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has announced compensation of Rs5 million for each deceased’s legal heirs and Rs1 million for those injured in the accident.
According to an official statement, the repatriation included the bodies of 28 pilgrims killed earlier this week in a bus crash and 15 of the 25 injured who were discharged from hospitals.
Sukkur Mayor Arsalan Islam Shaikh reported that a special C-130 aircraft transported the bodies to Shahbaz Airport in Jacobabad. Among the deceased, 10 were from Larkana, three from Kamber-Shahdadkot and Karachi, six from Kashmore, four from Khairpur, and one each from Dadu and Jamshoro.
The injured pilgrims included eight from Larkana, five from Kamber-Shahdadkot, four from Khairpur, three from Dadu, and one each from Naushahro Feroze, Shikarpur, Karachi, Sehwan, and Jhal Magsi (Balochistan).
The mayor noted that the provincial government arranged for over 40 Rescue 1122 ambulances at Jacobabad Airport. Injured pilgrims will be taken to hospitals in their respective districts, with severely injured individuals flown to Karachi via air ambulance.
Funeral prayers for the 28 pilgrims were held at Yazd Airport before their return to Pakistan. The ceremony was attended by a representative of the Iranian Supreme Leader, Yazd Governor Mehran Fatemi, Deputy Governor Abdul Husseni, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran Mudassir Tipu, and embassy officials.
