At least nine soldiers were martyred and four others were injured when their truck plunged into a ravine in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Sunday, the military and witnesses said.
The truck – part of a military convoy – was heading towards Mang Bajri in Bagh district when the incident occurred near Shujaabad, some 12 kilometers before its destination, at about 4am on Sunday, military officials said. “There were 13 soldiers, including the driver, on board the truck, and seven of them were martyred on the spot, while the rest were injured,” a military official was quoted as saying by national media. The injured were evacuated to a hospital in Rawalakot, where two of them succumbed to their wounds. Local police said that the truck fell 500 feet (150 metres) down the ravine.
Road accidents frequently occur in the hilly areas of AJK and are mostly blamed on narrow roads with negligible safety measures as well as careless driving.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief and sorrow over the accident of the Army vehicle.
In a statement, he condoled with the families of the nine soldiers who were martyred in the accident. He said the nation saluted the sons who were martyred while performing their sacred duty to defend the motherland. He prayed that Allah Almighty grant high ranks to the martyrs in heaven and patience for the bereaved family. He also prayed for the early recovery of the injured soldiers.
