QUETTA: Six people were burnt to death and 14 others injured on Tuesday when two pick-ups collided and caught fire in the Nokundi area of Chagai, a district bordering Iran and Afghanistan.

Levies officials said most victims belonged to Afghanistan’s Uzbek ethnic group and were on their way to Iran from Pakistan, probably for an onward journey to Europe.

Five out of the six bodies were completely burnt and were beyond identification. One victim was identified as Tahzeeb Barhanzai.

The crash happened in the Samy Landhi area. “Both the vehicles caught fire and six people burnt to death and 14 others have suffered burns,” said Sagar Kumar, the assistant commissioner of Taftan town.

Levies officials put the fire out with the help of residents and shifted the injured to a nearby hospital in Nokundi.

“We have received six burnt bodies and 14 inj­u­r­­ed in the Rural Health Centre,” hospital officials said. Three of the woun­d­­ed were in critical condition.

The victims who suffered burns were shifted to the Bolan Medical Com-plex Hospital in Quetta after initial treatment.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2023