DUBAI, UAE - Two people were killed and at least seven others injured when an under-construction overpass collapsed at the entrance to the Iraqi city of Karbala, authorities said Sunday, as lawmakers accused the government of rushing the project for election publicity.

The al-Atayshi overpass, part of the al-Husayniyah project on the Baghdad-Karbala highway, gave way suddenly Saturday evening, trapping several vehicles beneath the rubble.

Civil Defense teams worked through the night and into Sunday morning, recovering two bodies “under extremely difficult conditions” and rescuing seven people alive in what they described as a “very complex operation.”

The Karbala Health Directorate told The New Region that five injured people were admitted to al-Hussein Hospital, all with minor wounds. “We received five patients from the collapse, and they are now in the emergency unit receiving treatment,” said spokesperson Saleem Kadhim.

Authorities reported that at least three vehicles were crushed by the collapse. One was successfully pulled out, while another remained trapped as rescue crews continued operations.

Karbala Governor Nassif Jassim al-Khutabi said in a statement that he was personally supervising efforts, stressing that “all necessary resources” were being provided.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani ordered an investigation into the incident, directing relevant authorities to determine the causes of the collapse and identify those responsible.

His office said that the premier was “closely following the tragic incident” and demanded “accountability for those at fault.”

Several lawmakers quickly pointed the finger at the government itself.

Othman al-Shaibani, a member of the State of Law Coalition, said in a statement that the collapse reflected a pattern of failures caused by direct contracting with unqualified firms favored by local governors, combined with  government pressure to finish projects ahead of elections.

“The Karbala overpass collapse is not the first,” he said, recalling similar incidents at the Tobchi and Zaafaraniyah bridges in Baghdad. “This happens because the government wants to inaugurate projects before parliamentary elections and use them as campaign propaganda.”

Shaibani added that bridge construction is an “old architecture technique” that should not fail today, calling the collapse “a dangerous precedent” and urging the judiciary to intervene to protect citizens’ lives.

Another lawmaker, Mohammed Jassim al-Khafaji, also blamed the prime minister. “The tragedy of the al-Husayniyah Bridge has no explanation other than poor execution and lack of quality,” he said, citing “bad company selection, weak oversight, absence from work sites, and inexperience of engineers and technicians.”

“This incident is the responsibility of the prime minister, whose pressure to complete these projects in time for ribbon-cutting before the elections, at any cost, cannot be ruled out,” he added.

Khafaji said that he had previously warned Construction and Housing Minister Bangen Rekani about “the danger of the alternative road” but that no corrective measures were taken.

The collapse has reignited concerns about corruption, poor oversight, and the quality of Iraq’s infrastructure. While rescue crews continued clearing debris on Sunday, politicians and citizens alike were left demanding accountability for yet another construction disaster.