NHA denies that any of its underpass wall fall due to rain. A wall of a building fell in the Peshawar Road area, killing at least 11 persons and wounding six others during strong monsoon rains, despite conflicting claims.
According to a statement released by the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad, Irfan Nawaz Memon, the regrettable tragedy occurred when a wall of a structure collapsed into a tent used by construction workers. The National Highway Authority (NHA) had apparently given the workers orders to build an underpass on the Grand Trunk Road in the city.
Contrary to several media accounts, however, the NHA has stated that the crumbled wall was not a part of the underpass’s original design. There is no reality in the rumors that the wall that collapsed due to rainfall is of an underpass,” the statement stated, stressing the safety of the underpass construction site.
NHA has offered their sincerest sympathies
The NHA has offered their sincerest sympathies for the tragedy and their prayers to the families of the victims. In addition to generating extensive disruptions and posing considerable threats to citizens, the inclement weather has contributed to severe waterlogging in low-lying regions across Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Khan Zeb, superintendent of police for Industrial Area I-9, stated that machinery was used to remove the victims’ remains from the rubble.
The bodies of the deceased, who are believed to have been construction workers, were sent to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims). Pims’s spokesman, Dr. Mubashir Daha, confirmed this information on behalf of Pims’s executive director, Dr. Imran Sikander. Dr. Daha added that a total of six injured people were admitted to the hospital, with one receiving only initial care and being released. It has been stated that the remaining five are safe.
Zeb added that the rescue crews responded quickly after hearing about the incident. It is still possible that additional people are buried under the rubble, so rescue workers are continuing their search The administration at Pims Hospital has activated all available medical personnel due to the urgent situation. According to Dr. Daha, “The Pims administration is fully alert after the intense rainfalls in the twin cities,” and the hospital’s personnel is ready to handle any unexpected calamity.
Noor ul Amin Mengal, chairman of the Capital Development Authority, also went to the scene and tweeted the awful news. There are reports that the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, has also expressed his condolences, expressing his “deep grief and sorrow” over the occurrence. Furthermore, he cautioned the district administration to keep watch as the rain continued.
To read our article about “Pakistan’s passport ranks 4th worst in the world” click here.
