Pakistan: At least 40 dead as bus looses control; plunges into ditch in Balochistan

At least 40 killed in a bus tragedy in Balochistan (Representative image)

At least 40 people, including women and children, were killed and eight others injured after a passenger bus plunged into a ravine in Pakistan‘s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday, officials said.The Peshawar-bound bus was travelling from Quetta in neighbouring Balochistan when the accident occurred after it reached the Dera Ismail Khan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.According to officials, preliminary investigations indicate that the bus suffered brake failure, causing the driver to lose control while negotiating a difficult bend on the mountainous road. The vehicle skidded off the road and fell into the ravine.Shahid Rind, media and political affairs aide to Balochistan chief minister Sarfraz Bugti, said initial reports confirmed 40 deaths and eight injuries. He added that district administrations from both Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, along with rescue teams and other relevant departments, were assisting those affected.The 1122 rescue service said there were 48 people on board the bus at the time of the crash. However, Dawn newspaper reported that 36 passengers had boarded the bus in Quetta, with others joining the journey en route.Sherani deputy commissioner Wali Khan Kakar said efforts were underway to identify those killed and injured. Authorities have also launched a formal investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident.Road accidents are frequent in the mountainous regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to a combination of factors, including difficult terrain, extreme weather, traffic violations, poor road and vehicle conditions, and untrained drivers.Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari directed the relevant authorities to ensure the injured receive the best possible medical treatment. In a statement, his office said, “The entire nation shares equally in the grief of the affected families in this tragic incident.”

(With inputs from agencies)