Underage driver kills couple during iftar in Karachi

• Victims were residents of Allahwala Town in Korangi.
• Aniq Ayaz was driving with two friends, say police.
• Enraged mob thrashed driver before handing over to police.

KARACHI: A man and his spouse were sitting on a pavement for iftar when a speeding vehicle crashed into them on Sharea Faisal, leaving them dead, on Wednesday.

As per details, a speeding car lost control and ploughed into a couple sitting on a pavement near the city's Karsaz area, resulting in the fatal accident.

Police and rescue personnel arrived on the incident’s site after receiving the information, and they brought the dead to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for medico-legal formalities.

The driver was caught by people, who then thrashed him before turning him over to the police. Police said the driver was underage.

The deceased — Ayaz, 31, and Aqsa, 29, — were sitting on the pavement for iftar when the fast vehicle unexpectedly hit them, according to witnesses, they said.

The victims were on their way home from work and lived in Allahwala Town in Korangi. They had been married for four years. Ayaz was employed at a factory close to Sohrab Goth, while his wife taught in a school in North Karachi.

Police said Aniq Ayaz, son of Ayaz Imam, was driving from Gulshan-e-Iqbal to Defence with two friends when the accident occurred. During the course of the investigation, no case has been filed against them.

In a statement on Thursday, police said the deceased woman’s father had lodged a case over the incident near Karsaz area.

The complainant said his daughter and son-in-law passed away after the speeding vehicle hit them.

Police said the 17-year-old suspect did not even have the driving licence. He told police that he had borrowed the car for driving from his friend Saad.

Letter to CJ Afridi

Meanwhile, Muttahida Qaumi Movement–Pakistan (MQM-P) Deputy Parliamentary Leader in the Sindh Assembly Taha Ahmed Khan formally wrote on Wednesday to Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi, urging the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice of the alarming increase in fatal road accidents in Karachi, The News reported.

In his letter, Khan highlighted that Karachi, Pakistan’s financial hub, is facing a severe road safety crisis due to government’s negligence. Since the beginning of 2025, at least 207 people have lost their lives, and 2,623 have been injured in traffic-related incidents.

He specifically referenced the tragic accident on March 24, 2025, at Malir Halt, where a man and his pregnant wife lost their lives in a devastating tanker collision. The impact was so severe that their baby was born on the spot but tragically passed away moments later on the road.

Khan expressed concern over the Sindh government’s failure to regulate heavy vehicle movement and enforce traffic laws. He noted that while the government has previously provided compensation for victims of incidents such as toxic liquor poisoning in Tando Muhammad Khan, it has not extended the same relief to the families of road accident victims in Karachi.

He urged the Supreme Court to direct the Sindh government to take immediate measures to improve road safety, regulate heavy vehicle movement, and ensure financial compensation for the families of victims who lost their lives in fatal road accidents.

He also called for the enforcement of strict traffic laws, including restricted movement of dumpers and heavy vehicles during peak hours, mandatory speed limits, designated routes for heavy vehicles, and accountability for transport companies operating unsafe vehicles.

Additionally, he stressed the need for improvements in Karachi’s road infrastructure, including proper street lighting, road safety measures, installation of speed cameras, stricter traffic enforcement, frequent vehicle fitness checks, and penalties for violations.

He further recommended strict legal action against reckless drivers and negligent officials to ensure accountability. Khan alleged that Karachi’s citizens are losing their lives due to the government’s negligence, and immediate action is necessary to prevent further tragedies. The MQM-P legislator urged the SC to intervene and ensure that the voices of Karachi’s road accident victims and their families are heard.