BAHAWALNAGAR - Pakistan’s athletics community suffered a major loss when international athlete Nadia Nazeer and her son were killed in a car accident Saturday in outskirts of Bahawalnagar.

According to Rescue 1122 and police, four times National Athletics champion Nadia was returning to Bahawalnagar along with her family as part of a wedding procession when the accident occurred. The car, being driven by her husband Hafiz Mudassar rammed into a heavy trailer. As a result Huzaifa, five-year-old son of Nadia died on the spot while national sprinter, her husband and sister-in-law sustained critical injuries.

The injured were rushed to DHQ Hospital Bahawalnagar from where the injured couple was referred to Lahore due to their critical condition. However, the national champion succumbed to her injuries on the way. Her dead body was brought back to the town where she along with her son was laid to rest after funeral. A large number of people attended the funeral. Nadia’s husband is still in critical conditions and is currently being treated. According to the bereaved family, Nadia's car was part of the wedding procession of her brother-in-law.

Nadia, who used to play for Wapda at home, was one of Pakistan's long distance and relay runners. She won the bronze medal in 4x100m relay in the South Asian Games in 2010. She has also won several national events, with four national championship titles to her credit.

In April 2008, she created the national record of 400m hurdle race by completing the distance clocking just 1:01.50 in Lahore.

Before her untimely demise, Nadia had been training diligently to participate in the upcoming National Athletics Championship.

Pakistan Sports Board, Pakistan Olympic Association and Athletics Federation of Pakistan have expressed grief over death of national athlete Nadia and have sent condolence messages to her family. Last year, another footballer, Shahlyla Baloch, lost her life in a car accident in Karachi.