32 Dead After Overcrowded Bus Plunges into Pakistani Ravine
At least 32 people were killed and 16 others injured after an overcrowded passenger bus plunged into a ravine in south‑western Pakistan.
The bus was travelling from Quetta to Peshawar when it crashed in the Dana Sar mountain range, on the border between Balochistan and Khware Pakhtunkhwa provinces, at about 8:00 local time on Friday.
A government official at Zhob Hospital reported that 48 people, including women and children, were on board when the accident happened.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, but preliminary reports suggest a steering fault may have led the driver to lose control before skidding off the mountain range.
Photographs taken at the scene show the badly damaged bus following its plunge to the bottom of the ravine.
Officials confirmed the injured were taken to the District Headquarters hospital in Zhob, about 68km from the crash site.
"The bus fell approximately 70 to 80 feet into the ravine," said Sanaullah Sherani, head of Zhob district’s emergency service, to AFP.
Dozens of emergency responders and ambulances were deployed to the scene following the crash, but rescue and recovery efforts were hampered by the difficult terrain.
The bodies of those killed were taken to the hospital and, following identification, will be transported to their hometowns by ambulance.
Shahid Rind, a spokesperson for Balochistan’s chief minister, said the bus had been overcrowded after taking on additional passengers from another bus that had broken down.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed their sorrow over the deaths.
In a post on X, Balochistan’s Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said he was deeply saddened to hear of the accident and ordered an inquiry into how it had happened. He added that immediate medical support is being provided to the injured.
Fatal accidents are common on Pakistan’s roads, often caused by reckless driving, bad road surfaces and poorly maintained vehicles. In 2024 at least 17 pilgrims were killed and 40 others injured after their bus fell into a ravine while travelling to Balochistan for Eid celebrations.
Source: BBC Urdu and BBC News reporting from Quetta and Balochistan. Updated 44 minutes ago.
