223 killed, 2,250 injured in Karachi traffic accidents so far in 2026

2026-03-16 - 07:24

KARACHI: At least 223 people have been killed and more than 2,250 injured in traffic accidents in Karachi so far in 2026, many of which involved heavy vehicles such as trailers and water tankers, ARY News reported, citing a rescue report. The report revealed that at least 75 people were killed in accidents involving heavy vehicles. Such incidents have increased notably during the holy month of Ramadan. According to the report, trailers were the leading cause of fatal road accidents in the city, with 36 citizens losing their lives in trailer-related incidents between January and mid-March. Water tankers claimed 20 lives from January 1 to March 16. The report further stated that two water tankers were set on fire by angry mobs at accident sites. Bus accidents caused seven deaths, followed by Mazda trucks with eight fatalities and dumpers with four deaths. Fatalities caused by dumper accidents accounted for around three percent of the total deaths, the report added. Overall, 223 people have died and more than 2,250 have been injured in various road accidents in Karachi so far this year. The victims include 161 men, 30 women, 23 boys and nine girls. Earlier, Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi chief Monem Zafar said the residents of Karachi continue to face severe crises in water, electricity and transport. Addressing a gathering in Hyderabad, the JI Karachi Chief alleged that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) provincial government is unwilling to grant the people of Karachi their basic rights. Monem Zafar remarked that feudal interests are “snatching the right to live” from Karachi’s residents, adding that a concerted struggle is necessary to raise a voice against such cruelty. He urged the public to become an “unbreakable wall” against oppression, noting that those who have ruled for 18 years have no intention of improving the lives of ordinary citizens. “We must unite to eradicate this system of cruelty,” he declared.