Pakistan has been grappling with the tragic loss of 28 Shia pilgrims who perished in a bus crash in Iran while en route to Iraq for a pilgrimage. The incident occurred earlier this week, and Pakistani authorities sprang into action to retrieve the bodies and repatriate them to the country. A Pakistani military aircraft flew back to the country, carrying the coffins of the victims, which were later handed over to their relatives for burial. The repatriation process was facilitated by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who had requested a plane to transport the bodies.
The ceremony was broadcast live on state-run PTV, allowing the nation to pay its respects to the departed souls. The Pakistani government has not released any information about the cause of the bus crash, which occurred near the city of Taft, some 310 miles southeast of Tehran. Iranian emergency official Mohammad Ali Malekzadeh blamed the crash on faulty brakes and a lack of attention by the driver. A surveillance video later aired by Iranian state TV showed the bus speeding past a parked car into a dirt lot just before the crash, narrowly missing bystanders.
Pakistan’s Mourning for Fallen Shia Pilgrims (Image via Getty)
This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of Pakistan’s poor road safety record, with some 17,000 deaths annually attributed to a widespread disregard for traffic laws, unsafe vehicles, and inadequate emergency services in rural areas. Despite this, millions of people in Iran continue to use public transportation, leaving thousands of lives at risk every year.
The pilgrims who lost their lives were headed to Iraq’s holy city of Karbala to commemorate Arbaeen, a significant event in the Shia Islamic calendar. Arbaeen marks the 40th day after the death of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hussein, who was killed in the Battle of Karbala during the early centuries of Islam. The event is a significant occasion for Shia Muslims, and thousands of people from around the world attend the pilgrimage to pay their respects to Hussein.
Pakistan’s Sindh province is home to a significant Shia population, and the news of the tragedy has sent shockwaves across the country. Funeral services for the victims are set to take place in their hometowns on Saturday, and the nation is mourning the loss of the 28 lives lost in the bus crash.
