Body of retired colonel recovered from Islamabad drain, search for daughter continues

The body of Colonel (retd) Qazi Ishaq, who was swept away in a storm drain in a tragic incident during heavy rains in Islamabad, has been found, Aaj News reported on Thursday.

The sources said the retired officer’s body was found in the Sawan River. Whereas, the search for his daughter is still ongoing for the third day, they added.

Rescue 1122 Rawalpindi teams also found the door and bonnet of the missing vehicle from under the Sawan Bridge. Rescue officials said that the search operation will continue without any break until the other victim’s body is found.

PMD forecasts more rain, strong winds in Punjab, KP over next 24 hours

The tragic incident occurred near a private housing society in Islamabad where retired Colonel Ishaq Qazi was in a car with his 25-year-old daughter. Due to cloudburst, water from a drain came onto the road and his car got stuck in the water. When the car stopped, Colonel (retd) Qazi tried to restart it, but the force of the water was so strong that the entire car fell into the flowing rainwater drain.

Eyewitnesses said Qazi also shouted for help, but the rapid flow of water made everyone helpless. The car fell in an underground channel where the water pressure was life-threatening.

Rescue 1122, Navy divers, and other rescue agencies have intensified the search operation with the help of modern equipment, drone cameras, and helicopters. Excavation and investigation are underway in and around the Sawan Bridge and the canal. Rescue teams are also checking underground passages inside the canal, the direction of water flow, and possible trapped areas.

There is an atmosphere of mourning in the area and the families are anxiously waiting for a miracle. Authorities have assured that until the recovery of the two victims, relief activities will continue.