Tragic accident on Malir Expressway route left one woman dead and 12 others injured on Thursday after a speeding vehicle rammed into a Suzuki pickup from behind on the newly constructed Shahrah-e-Bhutto bridge connecting Korangi to the airport, ARY News reported.

The collision occurred during regular traffic hours on the bridge, a key link road for commuters travelling between Korangi and the Jinnah International Airport area. According to rescue officials, the impact was severe enough to cause multiple casualties among the passengers of the Suzuki pickup, which was carrying several people at the time of the crash.

Rescue sources said as many as 12 individuals sustained injuries in the accident, including five women and two children. Emergency responders who reached the scene shortly after the crash worked to pull the injured from the wreckage before shifting them to nearby medical facilities for treatment.

All the injured were transferred to a hospital close to the accident site, where medical staff confirmed that three of the wounded remain in critical condition. Doctors attending to the patients said their teams are closely monitoring the critical cases, as the extent of internal injuries is still being assessed. The woman who died in the collision was declared dead on arrival, hospital sources said, though her identity has not yet been made public pending family notification.

Eyewitnesses at the scene described the moment of impact as sudden, saying the speeding vehicle appeared to lose control before striking the rear of the pickup. The force of the collision reportedly pushed the Suzuki forward, throwing several passengers off balance and causing injuries ranging from minor bruises to more serious trauma. Traffic on the bridge was disrupted for a period as rescue teams and police worked to clear the vehicles and manage the flow of commuters.

Local traffic police officials said an initial assessment points to over-speeding as a likely factor behind the crash, though a formal investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause. Officers noted that the newly constructed bridge, while easing congestion between Korangi and the airport, has also seen a rise in vehicle speeds due to its smoother and wider lanes, raising concerns among residents about road safety on the route.

This is not the first such incident reported on Karachi’s rapidly expanding road network in recent months. Traffic safety experts have repeatedly flagged the need for stricter speed monitoring, especially on newly built expressways and bridges where drivers often exceed safe limits in the absence of adequate signage or enforcement cameras.

Family members of the victims began arriving at the hospital following the accident, with several expressing anguish over the lack of visible speed control measures on the bridge. Local residents have also called on the Sindh government and traffic police to install speed breakers, warning signs, and CCTV-based monitoring systems along the corridor to prevent further tragedies.

Authorities have not yet released the identities of all those injured, and further updates are expected as investigations continue. Officials have assured that a detailed report on the cause of the accident will be issued once evidence from the scene has been reviewed.

The incident has once again brought attention to road safety standards on Karachi’s under-construction and newly opened routes, with citizens urging swift action from relevant authorities to prevent recurrence.