40 killed, eight injured as passenger bus plunges into ravine in Balochistan

At least 40 people were killed and eight others injured, including women and children, after a passenger bus plunged into a deep ravine in the Dana Sar area of Sherani district in Balochistan on Friday, Aaj News quoted officials as saying.

The bus, which was travelling from Quetta to Peshawar, reportedly lost control after suffering brake failure while taking a sharp turn before falling hundreds of feet into a gorge in the mountainous area along the Balochistan-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa border.

Rescue teams, district administration officials and ambulances rushed to the scene soon after the accident, while rescue personnel from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also joined the operation. Authorities said the difficult terrain was hampering efforts to retrieve the bodies and evacuate the injured.

Sherani Deputy Commissioner Hazrat Wali Kakar said the injured were being shifted to nearby hospitals, while an emergency had been declared at hospitals in Sherani and Dera Ismail Khan to ensure prompt medical treatment.

Initial investigations suggest the accident was caused by brake failure, although authorities said a detailed inquiry was under way.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed grief over the tragedy, offering condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the deceased. He also directed the relevant authorities to ensure the injured receive the best possible medical care.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti also expressed sorrow over the incident and said rescue and relief operations had been intensified on his directives. He said all relevant departments, including the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), district administration, Frontier Corps and rescue services, were working in coordination at the site.

In a statement, the Balochistan government said rescue operations were continuing with the support of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, whose rescue teams and medical personnel were assisting in evacuating the injured to the Zhob Trauma Centre. The provincial government thanked the KP authorities for their cooperation and said relief efforts would continue until all affected passengers had been assisted.