QUETTA (MNN); At least 40 passengers lost their lives and eight others sustained injuries after a Peshawar-bound passenger bus plunged into a deep ravine near the Balochistan-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa border on Friday, officials confirmed.
The tragic accident occurred shortly after the bus departed the Dhanasar area of Balochistan’s Sherani district and entered the jurisdiction of Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The initial death toll was announced by Balochistan Chief Minister’s Adviser for Media and Political Affairs, Shahid Rind, and was later confirmed by KP Rescue 1122.
According to officials, rescue operations began immediately on the directives of Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti. Rescue teams and district administrations from both Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa jointly participated in the emergency response.
KP Rescue 1122 said emergency teams from Zhob and nearby areas reached the accident site soon after receiving the alert. The eight injured passengers were shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Zhob for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were initially taken to a nearby rural health facility before being transferred to the Zhob DHQ Hospital.
Rescue officials said 48 people were aboard the bus when it veered off the road and fell nearly 70 to 80 feet into a ravine. The difficult mountainous terrain complicated rescue efforts during the initial stages of the operation.
Sherani Deputy Commissioner Wali Khan Kakar said the bus had departed Quetta with 36 passengers but later picked up additional travellers from another bus that had broken down en route, resulting in overcrowding.
Shahid Rind stated that the overloaded bus had left Quetta on Thursday evening and confirmed that Chief Minister Bugti had ordered an immediate investigation into the causes of the accident.
In a subsequent statement, the provincial government assigned the inquiry to the Secretary of Transport and directed that a comprehensive report identifying the causes and circumstances of the crash be submitted. Authorities said any negligence would not be tolerated and pledged to introduce stricter road safety measures and transport reforms to prevent similar tragedies.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the bereaved families.
President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed grief over the incident, praying for the speedy recovery of the injured and directing authorities to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the victims.
Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti reiterated the provincial government’s commitment to supporting the affected families and instructed all relevant departments to accelerate rescue operations and provide every possible assistance.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also conveyed his condolences and directed officials to ensure quality medical care for the injured, coordinate closely with Balochistan rescue authorities, identify affected residents of KP, and facilitate communication with their families. He further instructed that the bodies of victims belonging to Balochistan be transported to their hometowns with dignity and respect.
KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also expressed sorrow over the tragedy and directed authorities to provide the injured with the best medical facilities while extending full support to the bereaved families.
The accident is the latest in a series of deadly road crashes in mountainous regions. In recent months, several similar incidents in Lower Dir and Upper Chitral claimed multiple lives after vehicles plunged into deep ravines.
