The tragic Qasr-e-Naz incident, claiming six lives was caused by a highly toxic pesticide fumigation carried out inside the guesthouse room, revealed the police investigations, almost three weeks after the incident. On Feb 22, five siblings and their paternal aunt were died during their overnight stay at the guesthouse. The unlucky family had come all the way from Quetta. Initially it was suspected by the police that the casualties happened due to consumption of toxic foodstuff from NauBahar restaurant located in the Saddar vicinity.
DIG South Sharjeel Kharal at a press conference said nine officials including the chief engineer of the state guest house have been arrested for their negligence under section 322 (Qatl-e-Besabab) and section 201 of Pakistan Penal Code. It was established that causalities happened due to inhalation of poisonous fumigation during their overnight stay on arrival from Quetta - Baluchistan. Sharjeel said the laboratory reports of victims samples also suggested that phosphine - an extremely poisonous gas, widely used in agriculture fumigation purpose, was found in the blood and stomach of the deceased.
During investigation, police found empty bottles of phospine from the store of guesthouse which were seized. South police chief said investigations are underway to ascertain as who purchased and provided such toxic pesticide. The Sindh Food Authority (SFA) had sealed NauBahar restaurant wherefrom the family had brought Biryani. Later, in the same night, three sisters, two brothers and their paternal aunt fell sick, and got unconscious. They were rushed to a private hospital located at Stadium Road where the children expired on arrival.
The SP Gulshan had said the initial reports suggest the cause of death appears to food poisoning. The deceased included 1.5-year-old Abdul Ali, four-year-old Aziz Faisal, six-year-old Aliya, seven-year-old Tauheed and nine-year-old Salvi.
Over a dozen officials of the eatery had been also detained, and restaurant had been sealed.
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