Karachi, August 10, 2025 – A heartbreaking accident on Rashid Minhas Road near Sagher Center in the early hours of Sunday has claimed the lives of two siblings just weeks before the sister’s wedding. According to police and eyewitnesses, a speeding dumper truck rammed into a motorcycle carrying 22-year-old Mahnoor, her 14-year-old brother Ahmed Raza, and their father Shakir. The impact was so severe that Mahnoor and Ahmed died on the spot, while Shakir sustained serious head injuries and is fighting for his life in hospital. Family members say Mahnoor’s wedding was scheduled for next month, while Ahmed, who had recently passed his matriculation examination, was helping his father earn a living to support the household.
As news of the tragedy spread, angry residents gathered at the scene, set at least seven dumper trucks on fire, and attacked the driver. Fire brigade teams reached the spot to control the blaze, while police detained the dumper driver and later arrested between 10 and 14 suspects for arson, identified through CCTV footage. Liaqat Mahsood, President of the Dumper Association, led a protest in response to the torching of dumpers, blocking both tracks of the Super Highway near Sohrab Goth. The blockade caused severe travel difficulties for thousands of commuters moving between Sohrab Goth and Nipa Chowrangi, with traffic jams stretching for kilometers. The protest prompted government officials to engage in negotiations with the Dumper Association, and both sides agreed to arrest those responsible for setting the vehicles on fire.
During the day, political voices began to emerge. Muneem Zafar, President of Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi, strongly condemned the rising number of heavy-vehicle accidents, saying that being hit by dumpers in Karachi had become a “daily routine” and that “some people survive open gutters only to be killed by reckless dumpers.” He criticized the silence of major political parties like the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) for not speaking on the matter, calling for stricter regulation of heavy vehicles in urban areas.
Residents of Karachi expressed deep sympathy for the bereaved family and demanded long-term financial assistance for them, urging the government to provide lifelong support given the loss of both young children and the father’s critical condition. Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori also expressed grief, prayed for the recovery of Shakir, and ordered the traffic police to take firm action against the so-called dumper mafia.
According to Karachi traffic authorities, more than 500 people were killed and over 4,800 injured in heavy-vehicle accidents last year alone, making it one of the city’s deadliest recurring traffic hazards. Police say the investigation into Sunday’s tragedy is ongoing, more arrests are expected, and diversions on Rashid Minhas Road and the Super Highway will remain until the situation returns to normal.
