Truck plunge in Sargodha canal raises death toll to 14

The death toll from the roadside accident caused by heavy fog in Sargodha has risen to 14, as more victims succumbed to their injuries, the rescue officials said on Saturday.

A tragic accident in Sargodha claimed the lives of 14 people after a mini truck plunged into a dry canal near the Gulpur Bangla area of Tehsil Kot Momin. The truck, carrying 23 passengers travelling from Islamabad to Faisalabad, overturned due to heavy fog and extremely low visibility.

Rescue officials said the canal had no water, but the impact of the fall caused severe injuries. Seven passengers died on the spot after being crushed under the vehicle. The injured were immediately shifted to THQ Hospital, where another seven people succumbed to their injuries during treatment.

According to rescue personnel, the deceased include three men, five women, and six children, making the tragedy even more heartbreaking for the affected families. Meanwhile, dense fog continues to disrupt movement across major motorways, creating dangerous travel conditions in several regions of the country. As visibility dropped to near zero, Motorway Police suspended traffic on multiple major routes as a precautionary measure.

Motorways M-1 from Peshawar to Rashkai and M-2 from Thokar Niaz Baig to Chakri Interchange have been closed due to thick fog. Similarly, M-3 from Faizpur to Jaranwala has been shut down, while M-4 from Pindi Bhattian to Faisalabad remains covered in dense fog. Motorway M-11 from Lahore to Sambrial and M-14 from Dawood Khel to Isa Khel are also closed for all traffic.