Peshawar:
4 members of a Sikh household, who had gone to Nankana Sahib to condole the demise of a relative, had been amongst 21 Pakistani Sikh pilgrims killed in Friday’s tragic accident when a passenger prepare crashed right into a van in Punjab province.
Three brothers – Kaka Singh, Papinder Singh, Jai Singh – and spouse of Papinder — together with different group members, largely from identical the neighbourhood in Peshawar, had been returning to their dwelling from Nankana Sahib when the accident befell at a railway crossing in Sheikhupura district, the Specific Tribune newspaper reported.
One of many brothers, Jai, had been instructing non secular music to the scholars at a Gurdwara Bhai Joga Singh within the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s capital for the final 10 years and likewise volunteered his companies for the Sikh group.
The neighbours of the household, together with college students of Jai, broke into tears after they realized concerning the accident.
Ravendar Singh, a resident of Mohalla Jogan Shah, informed the every day that the tragedy has shocked them.
He stated there’s hardly any home within the neighbourhood whose member of the family will not be among the many 21 Sikh victims.
“We now have been residing right here collectively for many years like one household and your complete Sikh group is deeply saddened over the demise of their group members,” he stated.
Secretary-Normal Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee Sardar Amir Singh stated the those that died belong to 3 or 4 households.
Peshawar is dwelling to most of Pakistan’s practically 40,000 Sikhs.
The van was carrying round 26 Sikh pilgrims, all from Peshawar, when it hit the Lahore-bound Shah Hussain Specific which was coming from Karachi on the crossing close to Sheikhupura district.
In keeping with the Evacuee Belief Property Board (ETPB), which takes care of minority affairs, 22 individuals, together with 21 Sikhs — 11 males, 9 ladies and a baby misplaced their lives within the deadly collision. A Muslim man has additionally been killed within the incident.
The motive force of the van reportedly tried to take a shortcut to keep away from the railway crossing and rammed the car into the specific prepare. The gate on the crossing was closed and the motive force apparently tried to take a shortcut as an alternative of ready for the gate to open, police stated. TV footage confirmed the prepare and the badly mangled van on the railway tracks.
Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid has ordered authorities to take quick motion towards these answerable for the accident. Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed grief over the accident and introduced that the Railways” “operational security SOPs can be reviewed instantly.
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