The Kabul Tribune (KT) — At least 40 people were killed and eight others injured after an overcrowded passenger bus veered off a highway and plunged into a rocky ravine in southwestern Pakistan early Friday, The Associated Press (AP) reported.
According to officials, the speeding bus lost control and
crashed into the ravine in the Dana Sar area near the border between
Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
Shahid Rind, a spokesperson for the Balochistan government,
said the bus was carrying not only its own passengers but also travelers from
another bus that had broken down, leaving the vehicle severely overcrowded.
Rescue teams were working to recover the victims and
identify those killed in the crash, Rind said.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari expressed sorrow over
the accident, extended condolences to the families of the victims and wished
those injured a speedy recovery. He also directed authorities to ensure the
injured receive the best possible medical treatment.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also expressed
condolences over the loss of life and instructed officials to provide
comprehensive medical care to the survivors.
Road accidents are frequent in Pakistan due to poor road
conditions, weak enforcement of traffic regulations and unsafe driving
practices, particularly in the country's mountainous regions.
In May 2026, another major traffic accident claimed the
lives of 17 people after a minibus crashed into a parked bus along a motorway
in northwestern Pakistan, leaving five others injured, according to AP.
