191001 pakistani driver
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The body of 25-year-old Pakistani driver - Sahib Rahman - who died in a tragic road accident on Monday, will be repatriated on Friday early morning, a close relative has confirmed to Gulf News.

The relatives and friends of the deceased driver in Dubai have come together to handle the paperwork and complete all the necessary documentation in order to repatriate the body to Peshawar, Pakistan.

“We have finally concluded the paperwork. We have received the death certificate and all necessary approvals from government authorities to repatriate his body home,” said Marjan, who will be accompanying the body of his nephew on Friday morning onboard Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

“We will be landing in Islamabad first. An ambulance will later take us to Peshawar which is likely to be a couple of hours drive,” he said.

Marjan said he has not yet informed Sahib’s parents about the death of their son. “I only told them their son has been in an accident. But nothing more. I don’t have the heart to break the news like this over the phone. Once I reach there, they will understand. It is a very sad day for all of us in the family and for his friends,” he added.

Rahman was driving the mini-bus carrying 14 passengers on Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Road when he rammed into a parked truck in the wee hours of Monday. Eight people died instantly owing to the impact of the collision, and Rahman was one of them. From the other seven passengers who died in the crash, six were Nepalese and one Indian. Of the other six people injured – five are Indians and one, a Bangladeshi. They are all being treated at the Rashid Hospital.

On Tuesday, Gulf News met Marjan, 50, who could not contain his tears while talking about his favorite nephew.

“I have no words to say. I don’t know what I am going to tell his parents,” said Marjan, who is Rahman’s paternal uncle.

Rahman arrived in the UAE as a driver when he was just 21 years old. He leaves behind aged parents, a wife, daughter and five younger siblings – all sisters.

“He [Rahman] was the sole bread winner of his family back home in Peshawar, Pakistan. I have no idea how the family will survive going forward. I have not yet informed his parents of their only son’s death,” said Marjan.

Meanwhile, Jitender Singh Negi, Consul (Consular and Labour) at the Indian Consulate, told Gulf News on Thursday a police report has been issued for the Indian victim who died in the Monday bus crash. “All the formalities are being concluded. He should be repatriated soon.”

As of the latest update regarding the survivors, Sagar Gonti remains in critical condition and is on a ventilator at the hospital. Prabhakaran Marimathu and Hariharasundar Chandrashekar are out of danger and have been shifted to the ward. Ranjit Rajamanikan too seems to be on the recovery mode while Ajit Kumar Arumugaval is said to have undergone another operation on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Nepalese Ambassador Krishna Prasad Dhakal confirmed to Gulf News that six of the deceased in the bus crash were Nepalese. They were identified as Dhan Bahadur Sakatyal, Narayan Prasad Pokhrel, Krishna Bahadur Pun Magar, Ramesh Chaudhary, Nayaram Saud and Dipak Bishokarma. They were aged between 30 and 35, and worked with the First Security Group.