Karsaz accident
Sindh Inspector General (IG) of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon revealed on Wednesday that Natasha Danish, the driver involved in last week’s fatal Karachi traffic accident, tested positive for methamphetamine (crystal meth) according to her medical report.
On August 19, Danish, driving a speeding Toyota Land Cruiser, collided with three motorcycles and another car on Karsaz Road before overturning. The crash resulted in the deaths of sixty-year-old Imran Arif and his 22-year-old daughter Amna, and injured three others.
Danish was arrested and charged with manslaughter. During a court hearing on August 21, the victims’ counsel requested an investigation into the type of drug the driver was allegedly using at the time of the accident. Consequently, Danish was placed under a 14-day judicial remand.
IG Memon had earlier indicated that the driver’s blood test report was pending and that additional sections might be added to the first information report (FIR) based on the medical findings, which would influence the investigation’s direction.
In a conversation with Dawn.com, IG Memon confirmed that the medical report from the Sindh Government Services Hospital had been issued and indicated that Danish was under the influence of methamphetamine.
The medical report itself has not yet been released to the public.
Earlier, Karachi Additional IG (AIG) Javed Odho mentioned that there was significant information in the medical report suggesting that Danish should not have been operating the vehicle. Odho stated that further consultations with medical experts would be necessary before drawing any final conclusions.
The FIR, filed at the Bahadurabad police station by Imtiaz Arif, whose brother and niece were killed, includes charges under sections 320 (punishment for qatl-i-khata by rash or negligent driving), 337-G (punishment for hurt by rash or negligent driving), 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), and 427 (mischief causing damage exceeding fifty rupees) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
According to the complaint, Arif was informed around 6:45 pm on Monday that his brother Imran Arif and his daughter Amna had been involved in an accident. Upon arriving at JPMC, Arif discovered that Danish had collided with his brother’s motorcycle from behind. The FIR notes that Abdussalam, another motorcyclist, was also injured, and despite their injuries, Imran and Amna later succumbed to their wounds.
